Upgrade works on old water mains set to start in Laois town, says Uisce Éireann
Uisce Éireann, in partnership with Laois County Council, is replacing over 4.5km of aged water mains on the Ballyfin Road, North of Mountrath town with new, modern pipes.
"The upgrade works, which are due to get underway next week, will provide improved water quality and supply for the local community while reducing the amount of treated drinking water lost into the ground due to frequent bursts and leaks," stated Uisce Éireann.
"These works are a critical step in conserving our most precious resource and reducing high levels of leakage which have been a significant source of disruption and outages for customers in Mountrath."
Programme Manager for Uisce Éireann’s National Leakage Reduction Programme said, “Old and damaged water mains are a huge source of leakage and continue to impact communities right across Ireland, causing low pressure and supply disruption. Replacing these old water mains in poor condition will improve water quality, eliminate existing leaks and significantly reduce the amount of clean drinking water lost into the ground.
“I would like to thank the local community in advance for their patience and cooperation during the works. We know based on previous experiences that the short-term inconvenience will be overshadowed by the long-term benefits.”
To minimise the impact on the local community, areas of work will be limited to short sections. Traffic management will be in place on Ballyfin Road from Monday, 13 March, in the form of a stop/go system. Works may involve some short-term supply disruptions, however, we will ensure that customers are given a minimum of 48 hours-notice and will make every effort to keep any necessary disruption to a minimum.
The works will be carried out on behalf of Uisce Éireann by Ward & Burke Construction Ltd and are expected to be completed by the end of August.
The National Leakage Reduction Programme helps provide a more reliable water supply to Irish communities by reducing high levels of leakage and improving water quality.
Since 2018, its delivery represents an investment of over €500 million to upgrade the underground water network across the country through the delivery of the Leakage Reduction Programme. Uisce Éireann is also investing a further €250 million annually up to the end of 2030 directed at fixing leaks and replacing pipes to provide a more reliable water supply.