National Leakage Reduction Programme continues with essential upgrades on the horizon for Mitchelstown
10 August 2023
Over 2.5 km of old and damaged water mains to be replaced
Protecting the water supply in Cork is a vital focus for Uisce Éireann with works underway as part of its national Leakage Reduction Programme to drive down leakage and provide a more reliable water supply for the community.
Uisce Éireann, working in partnership with Cork County Council, is replacing over 2.5 km of aged water mains with new, modern pipes in Mitchelstown. The project, which will commence next week, will improve water quality, provide a more secure and reliable water supply for the community, and reduce the amount of treated drinking water lost to leakage. The works are a critical step in conserving this precious resource and reducing high levels of leakage which have been a significant source of disruption and interruptions for customers.
This essential project will see works taking place along the (L1418) Argalin Road, Sarsfield Casey Drive, Roches Heights, Captain Keane’s Grove and Brigown. The works will also involve laying new water service connections from the public water main in the road to customers’ property boundaries and connecting it to the customers’ water supply. Where the existing service connections on the public side are lead, these will be replaced as part of this improvement work.
Outlining the benefits that the water mains replacement project will bring to the local community, Paul Gray, Senior Portfolio Manager at Uisce Éireann, explained: “Old and damaged water mains are 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.”
Paul added, “I would like to sincerely thank the people of Mitchelstown in advance for their patience and cooperation during the works. We know that based on previous experiences the short-term inconvenience will be overshadowed by the long-term benefits.”
Where water mains are being constructed traffic management will be put in place in the form of a traffic light system, but the area of works will be limited to short sections in order to minimise the impact on customers.
A road closure will also be required for the section of works in Brigown but a signposted diversion route will be implemented. Local and emergency traffic will be maintained at all times.
These works are being carried out Ward & Burke Construction Ltd on behalf of Uisce Éireann and is expected to be completed in September of this year.
Uisce Éireann’s customer care helpline is open 24/7 on 1800 278 278 and customers can also contact us on Twitter @IWCare with any queries. For updates please visit the Water Supply Updates section of the Uisce Éireann website or set your location on our website.
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.