Replacement of ageing water mains underway in Galway City

Uisce Éireann, working in partnership with Galway City Council, is replacing approximately 120 metres of problematic, old watermains on the Old Dublin Road near the Moneenageisha Junction that were prone to frequent bursts and leakage and caused water supply disruptions for customers in the area. The mains are being replaced with new high density polyethylene (plastic) pipes and the works are being carried out in accordance with Level 5 COVID-19 restrictions.

Outlining the benefits of these works Gerry O'Donnell, Uisce Éireann, explained: "These essential works will benefit residential and business customers in the area by strengthening and reinforcing the water network, and minimising disruptions in their water supply by reducing leakage and unplanned outages when bursts occur on the existing main.

"Upon completion, there will be significant improvements in network performance and levels of customer service in terms of efficiency and security of supply."

The works commenced this week and are due to be completed by the end of the month. Farran's Construction Ltd are contracted to carry out the work on behalf of Uisce Éireann.

This project is one example of how Uisce Éireann is working in partnership with Galway City Council to reduce leaks every day. Fixing leaks can be complicated with over 63,000km of water pipe in Ireland. Most leaks aren't visible, resulting in precious water being lost but we are making progress. In 2018 the rate of leakage nationally was 46%, by the end of 2019 it was 42% and we are currently on course to achieving a national leakage rate of 38% by 2021.

Gerry added: "To facilitate the safe delivery of the works, there will be some traffic management in place. Local and emergency access will be maintained at all times. Night time working between the hours of 6pm and 12am will also be required to ensure the safety of the workforce and road users due to existing heavy traffic flows at this junction.

"The works may involve some short-term water shut offs and the project team will ensure that customers are given a minimum of 48 hours' notice prior to any planned water shut offs. We understand that this type of work can be inconvenient and works crews will make every effort to minimise any disruption these necessary works cause.

"This mains replacement work is part of a significant investment by Uisce Éireann to upgrade the water network in Galway and we would like to thank customers in advance for their cooperation and patience while we complete this essential job."

Customers can phone Uisce Éireann on 1800 278 278 if they have any questions about the project or check out the Supply and Service Updates section of our website for regular updates.

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. Its delivery represents an investment of over €500 million between 2017 and 2021 to reduce leakage and replace old pipes on the water network.

Uisce Éireann continues to work at this time with our Local Authority partners, contractors and others to safeguard the health and well-being of both staff and the public and to ensure the continuity of critical drinking water and wastewater services. Uisce Éireann would like to remind people to follow the HSE COVID-19 advice and ensure frequent handwashing.

For more information on reducing leaks visit the National Leakage Reduction Programme section of our website.