New service connections in Sliabh Breagh, Ardee

25 November 2021

This work will improve water quality and provide the community with a more reliable supply of water

Uisce Éireann, working in partnership with Louth County Council, is replacing old “backyard” water mains and providing new service connections for customers in Sliabh Breagh, Ardee. This will improve water quality and provide the community with a more reliable supply of water as well as reduce the high levels of leakage.

In some older properties in Sliabh Breagh water connections, typically made of iron or lead, were installed to the rear of properties and are often referred to as “backyard” service connections. The condition of these backyard services has deteriorated over the years which has resulted in increased bursts and leaks, and reduced water pressure for some customers.

The works involve the decommissioning of ageing back yard water mains and the construction of nearly 1.5km of new high density, polyethylene (plastic) water mains along the public road. 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 customer’s water supply. Where the existing service connections on the public side are lead, these will be replaced as part of the improvement works.

To facilitate the safe delivery of these works, some traffic management will be in place, however, local and emergency access will be maintained at all times. The works may involve some short-term supply interruptions. The project team will ensure that customers are given a minimum of 48 hours’ notice prior to any planned water interruptions. Uisce Éireann and Louth County Council regret any inconvenience these improvement works may cause. The works, which are scheduled to begin at the end of November are being carried out on behalf of Uisce Éireann by GMC Utilities Ltd and are expected to be completed by early 2022.

Speaking about the project Matthew Thomson, Uisce Éireann, said “These upgrades are part of a significant investment by Uisce Éireann to upgrade the water network in Louth. Replacing old, damaged pipes will reduce the instances of bursts and water outages and safeguard the water supply for homes and businesses now and into the future. We would like to thank the local community, for their patience and cooperation while we deliver this vital water network improvement project.”

These works are an example of how Uisce Éireann is working in partnership with Louth County 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 2020 it was reduced to 40% and we are currently on course to achieving a national leakage rate of 38% by the end of 2021.

Uisce Éireann is working at this time with our Local Authority partners, contractors and others to safeguard the health and well-being of both staff and the public and to ensure the continuity of critical drinking water and wastewater services. Uisce Éireann would like to remind people to follow the HSE COVID-19 advice and ensure frequent handwashing.

Our customer care helpline is open 24/7 on 1800 278 278 and customers can also contact us on Twitter @IWCare with any queries.

For more information on Uisce Éireann’s national Leakage Reduction Programme, please visit our Leakage Reduction Programme section.