Uisce Éireann announce replacement of aged water mains in Birr
Uisce Éireann, working in partnership with Offaly County Council, has announceed it is replacing approximately 150m of aged water mains with new modern pipes in Birr.
The pipes along the section of road adjacent to the skatepark in Drumbane, Birr will be upgraded.
The project, which will commence mid-May will provide a more reliable water supply and reduce the amount of treated drinking water lost to leakage. The works are a critical step in reducing high levels of leakage which have been a significant source of disruption and outages for customers.
Programme Manager, for Uisce Éireann’s National Leakage Reduction Programme, Joe Carroll is looking forward to getting crews on site. “Old and damaged water mains remain 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 eliminate existing leaks and significantly reduce the amount of clean drinking water lost into the ground.”
Mr Carroll added: “We would like to thank the community in Drumbane 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 lasting benefits.”
Where water mains are being installed traffic management will be in place however, local and emergency access will always be maintained. This project is being carried out by Ward & Burke Construction on behalf of Uisce Éireann and is due to be completed by the end of July.
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 has represented 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.
Uisce Éireann is responsible for delivering public drinking water and wastewater services in Ireland. They are committed to enabling communities to thrive by continuously upgrading and developing critical infrastructure to support sustainable growth and development, providing safe drinking water, and enhancing the environment.