Milestone reached on major project to replace century old pipeline in East Dublin City

11 May 2023

Strand Road reopens at Merrion Gates

Project will benefit 80,000 customers

Uisce Éireann working in partnership with Dublin City Council continues to progress a major project to reduce leakage and ensure a safer, more reliable water supply for 80,000 customers across Sandymount and East Dublin City.

The project which involves the replacement of over 3km of a century-old pipeline along Sandymount Strand has reached a major milestone with 90% of pipes now replaced, allowing traffic restrictions at Merrion Gates to be lifted, and Strand Road to be reopened in both directions. Using modern engineering techniques, construction time frames have been significantly reduced while also limiting the impact on the environment and reducing the amount of construction vehicle movement, noise, dust and vibrations.

The remaining works will be carried out from Beach Road to Ringsend Park to replace the section of existing pipeline at this location and the overall works are expected to be completed in summer. This trunk main was prioritised for investment and replacement by Uisce Éireann due to its age and deteriorating condition, which often resulted in low pressure and supply interruptions to homes and businesses. Once completed the project will significantly reduce leakage and provide local residents with a sustainable, more secure, and reliable water supply for generations to come.

“This pipeline was constructed almost 100 years ago and was in very poor condition. Over the past decade, the instances of pipe bursts and leakages had increased due to its fragile and deteriorating condition, causing major operational challenges. This major investment through the national Leakage Reduction Programme will alleviate these issues and bring this critical part of the Dublin water network into the 21st Century. Working in collaboration with our delivery partners we have reached a significant milestone in futureproofing a more reliable water supply for homes and businesses in Sandymount and East Dublin City”, said Declan Healy of Uisce Éireann.

Acknowledging the support of the local community and stakeholders, Declan continued: “We are acutely aware that upgrades to critical infrastructure can be disruptive to the local community and especially road users. On behalf of Uisce Éireann, I would like to thank the local community, media, and elected representatives for their patience and ongoing support while we continue to deliver water services for Ireland for the benefit of current and future generations.”

Richard Mills, Senior Engineer at Dublin City Council, added: “Uisce Éireann and Dublin City Council remain committed to successfully delivering these works and improving the water supply for communities across East Dublin. This is a complex project that involves working around a myriad of underground services such as gas, telecoms and electrical networks. Isolating a trunk main for upgrading presents a significant challenge in maintaining supply to the city. To that end, over the last few years, Dublin City Council and Uisce Éireann have undertaken major upgrades at strategic trunk main control points. These upgrades improve our ability to divert water around the mains in question to facilitate the network enhancements.”

Richard added: “To date the detailed planning and preparations that we have carried out have enabled our experienced water services personnel to maintain normal water supplies to all homes and businesses.”

The works are being delivered by GMC Utilities Group Ltd on behalf of Uisce Éireann.

Uisce Éireann is responsible for delivering public drinking water and wastewater services for the people of Ireland. We 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. To find out more visit the Uisce Éireann website.