A safer, more reliable water supply on the horizon for Galway City
10 May 2022
Galway homes and businesses can look forward to a more reliable water supply as water mains works commence this week.
Uisce Éireann, working in partnership with Galway City Council, is phasing the installation of a new rising main in the Laurel Park area to provide a more safe and secure water supply for customers in Galway City.
The new water main will increase security of supply from Terryland Water Treatment Plant to Clifton Hill Reservoir. Upon completion, these works will also improve the network performance and reliability.
Outlining the benefits of these works Gerry O’Donnell, Uisce Éireann, explained: “This phase of works will involve the construction of approximately 1.9km of a new ductile iron water main in the area of Laurel Park. This new trunk main connecting Terryland Water Treatment Plant to Clifton Hill Reservoir will supplement the existing supply to the reservoir which provides water to large sections of Galway City and environs west of the River Corrib.
“We have recently installed 470m of new water mains in Moyola Park as part of this project. To minimise disruption the works will be completed in a phased approach. The next phase of these works will involve laying approximately 440m of water mains along Siobhan McKenna Road and Laurel Park. There will be traffic management in place however local and emergency access will be maintained at all times.
“The works may involve some short-term water interruptions and the project team will ensure that customers are given a minimum of 48 hours’ notice prior to any planned water interruptions. 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 work is part of a significant investment by Uisce Éireann to upgrade the water network in Galway City and we would like to thank customers in advance for their cooperation and patience while we complete this essential job.”
The works will be delivered by Ward & Burke Construction 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 2021 it was 38% and we are currently on course to achieving a national leakage rate of 25% by the end of 2030.
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. We are investing a further €250 million every year up to the end of 2030.
For more information on reducing leaks, visit our National Leakage Reduction Programme page.
Uisce Éireann is responsible for the delivery of all public water and wastewater services in Ireland. We are committed to continuously upgrading and developing critical infrastructure to support the growth needed in housing and across our economy, while protecting the environment and safeguarding water supplies.