Tipperary locals concerned as Water Supply Project consultation period kicks off

Public consultation on the proposed Water Supply Project Eastern and Midlands Region is now underway. An eight-week consultation is currently ongoing having began on January 7 and running until March 4, 2025.

The Water Supply Project Eastern and Midlands Region proposes to abstract water from Parteen Basin, upstream of Parteen Weir on the Lower River Shannon, utilising a maximum of 2% of the long term average flow at Parteen Basin. It is proposed that the water will be treated near Birdhill, Co Tipperary and treated water will then be piped 170km through counties Tipperary, Offaly and Kildare to a termination point reservoir at Peamount in County Dublin, connecting into the Greater Dublin Area water distribution network.

The project hopes to develop a new, climate-resilient, long-term water source to meet the demands of a growing population and economy, including the need for housing, as well as enabling us to adapt to the effects of climate change by diversifying our water supply sources. It hopes to also create a treated water supply ‘spine’ across the country, providing infrastructure with the capacity for future offtakes to serve communities along the route in Tipperary, Offaly, and Westmeath.

Despite Uisce Éireann insisting on the many potential upsides of the project. Tipperary locals and public representatives have been actively voicing their concerns and frustrations around the enormous cost of the project and how the project could impact our local ecosystems.

In 2024, Nenagh councillor Seamus Morris wrote to local TDs: “I am flabbergasted that the Government gave the go-ahead to go to ABP for the now 6 Billion Euro (up from 700 million) Eastern and Midlands Water Supply Project. This project can potentially make the National Children’s Hospital look like value for money. The other galling thing is that only 250 million a year has been put aside for fixing leaks which are the worst leakage rates in the developed world. Tipperary residents have to put up with appalling deficiencies in Water and Wastewater services and we even have to put up with the most dangerous levels of THMs in our water in the country with Portroe, Cloughjordan Silvermines and Gortagarry to worst affected areas in North Tipperary.”

Cllr Phyll Bugler has also commented on the project, speaking from the perspective of her local area in Ballina: “I have lived in Ballina for the past 30 years now and I know how much the town relies on the lake and the river to support the local economy.
“So much of the money in the town comes from fishing and tourism and the threat of damage to the local waters could be extremely detrimental to the town.

“It’s extremely important that we protect the waters for the next generation.”

As well as the outrage and concern expressed by local public officials, several community action groups have formed in the year’s since the project was first announced.

All the way back in 2018, a group called ‘Fight the Pipe’, held a public meeting alongside The River Shannon Protection Alliance and author Emma Kennedy. Their primary concern being the cost of the pipe project, which at the time was €1.3 billion or to paraphrase Emma at the time, €1,000 for every family in Ireland or a lot of new hospital beds. Recently, Uisce Éireann have estimated the full cost at €4.5-6 billion with potential projected cost estimates reaching as much as €10 billion.

The use of taxpayers money is not the sole concern of course, many locals here in Tipperary are worried about the impact that the pipe will have on agricultural land and local ecology. The pipe will reportedly extract a maximum of 2% of the average flow from the Shannon. Throughout the years since the project’s announcement, many have expressed concerns that taking water from the Shannon will bring local water levels to a dangerously low level. In particular, some are worried that naturally occurring turloughs will dry up and that decreasing the water levels in both local rivers and Lough Derg will be harmful for local plants and animals that spawn and feed in these areas.

If you are interested in finding out more, Uisce Éireann will be holding public webinars on February 7 and 18 to answer any questions you may have that will assist you in making a submission.

Registration for the briefings can be done through the following link www.water.ie/watersupplyproject

The remaining in-person events will also be held at the following locations: The County Arms, Birr - January 23; Hamlet Court Hotel, Enfield - January 28; Glenroyal Hotel, Maynooth - January 29.