Approval for town centre water works

Environment Minister Phil Hogan has today (Monday) cleared the way for Offaly County Council to complete contract formalities and get a contractor on site for water mains rehabilitation in Tullamore town centre.

Minister Hogan announced today that he has approved funding to allow the council to accept a tender of just over €2.53m submitted by David Walsh Civil Engineering Ltd for the project.

“These works are one element of a coordinated approach to arrest water leakage in County Offaly which is being carried out in a number of stages and will result in an improvement in the quality and reliability of the water supply to the public, supporting commercial and industrial activity so crucial to economic development,” the Minister said.

This is the third tranche of water conservation works being carried out by Offaly County Council. The council has already commenced water mains rehabilitation works in Birr Town South and Dainegan South at an estimated cost of just over €500,000.

The council has also commenced water mains rehabilitation works at a cost of €2.6m in Marian Place and Arden Vale in Tullamore.

Mains rehabilitation work is a key priority under the Department’s Water Services Investment Programme 2010 – 2013.

Minister Hogan pointed out that his approval of the funding for the works in Tullamore reflects the need to deliver to consumers a drinking water supply that is reliable and fully compliant with drinking water standards, and the priority being given to water conservation and to addressing unsustainable levels of unaccounted for water in the distribution system.