Personal stories from home owners affected

Thousands of homes and businesses in Northern Ireland are still without running water. BBC NI News Online hears from some of those affected.

John McMahon from Rostrevor has been without water for a week

"NI Water are very poor at communicating information.

"I'm in an exceptional position with six young children, so people like me are really suffering.

"Our Christmas has been effectively ruined.

"You can't get through on the phone so you have to go via the web and when you go on their website you get these vague messages that really effectively tell you nothing."

Jill from Ballynahinch has not had any water for 10 days

"We've been very let down.

"I know I'm not on my own, the district, the vicinity around me, they're all the same.

"I've actually got them on speed dial because for a while there, our water would have been off once a week.

"This has been the icing on the cake, this is just terrible."

Jim Mawhinney from Annahilt, County Down has been without running water since last Wednesday

"The minute the water went down, I did go to the local store and stock up with as much water as I could get my hands on.

"One of my other neighbours has water.

"I thought maybe my pipes were frozen but my other neighbour was able to supply me with some buckets of water so we got through Christmas, not as nice as we'd have liked but we got through."

Lillian Kennedy in Lisburn has had no water for eight days

"I've two young children and I can't bath them.

"To me, it's unhygienic, you don't feel as if you are clean. You can't flush the toilet, it's like living like a tramp.

"All the shops round here are out of bottled water and the nearest depot is at Craigavon, 40 miles away.

"You say to yourself there's only so long you can cope without water. How long is it going to go on?"

Gillian McNiss from Banbridge has been without water for three days

"I still have no information as to what the issue is in Banbridge because people up the road have water supply and everything's fine.

"It seems to be just a pocket here where the water isn't on.

"We don't even know whether NI Water are aware of it.

"With three young children, toileting is obviously an issue, as is, washing hands and cooking.

"The whole thing is just atrocious."