Crews progressing with back yard service works in Trim

11 August 2022

Uisce Éireann, working in partnership with Meath County Council, will be replacing ageing backyard water mains along Castle Street in Trim to safeguard the water supply to homes in the area. The delivery of these essential works will provide a safer, more secure water supply for the area, by minimising the frequency of bursts and improving the resilience of the network.

The works will involve the decommissioning of ageing backyard water mains and the delivery of over 75 meters of new, modern water mains which will be constructed along the public road. New service connections for customers will also be provided.

In some older estates across the country water connections, typically made of iron or lead, were installed to the rear of properties, often referred to as backyard service connections. The pipework due to age and deterioration factors can be a significant source of leakage. Backyard water services are usually shared, running through neighbouring properties making it difficult to detect and repair leaks. Since properties may share a connection, leaks and bursts can affect all properties in a neighbourhood which can result in low pressure. This project will strive to resolve these issues for properties along Castle Street in Trim.

Speaking about the project, Matt Thomson, Leakage Reduction Programme Regional Lead at Uisce Éireann said, “The first step in ensuring the delivery of this essential project along Castle Street in Trim will require a survey of each property before the works commence. This is to assess the current water connection arrangements in place, and to also facilitate discussion on the best way to connect the new service to the customers’ homes.”

Matt added, “We would like to thank the local community, in advance for their patience and cooperation while we deliver this essential water network improvement project along Castle Street in the bustling town of Trim.”

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. Where water mains are being constructed traffic management may be in place during this time, but local and emergency traffic will be maintained at all times.

Customers to benefit from these improvement works will be contacted directly by GMC Utilities Ltd who are carrying out the works on behalf of Uisce Éireann, to provide further information and to discuss a suitable time to carry out the individual surveys.

This project is one example of how Uisce Éireann is working in partnership with Meath County Council to reduce leaks across the county. Fixing leaks can be complicated with over 63,000km of water pipe across Ireland but we are making progress. 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 represents 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.

To find out more about Uisce Éireann’s national programme of works to reduce leakage and improve Ireland’s water supply visit our National Leakage Reduction Programme page.

Our customer care helpline is open 24/7 on 1850 278 278 and customers can also contact us on Twitter @IWCare with any queries. For updates visit the Supply and Service Updates section of our website.

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.