Old watermain replacement in Greystones

29 September 2021

The works will involve the replacement of 1km of old problematic cast iron water mains

Uisce Éireann, working in partnership with Wicklow County Council, is progressing with essential water mains replacement works in Greystones to improve the security of supply and reduce high levels of leakage in the area. These essential works will be delivered in adherence with the HSE and government guidance on COVID-19.

The works, which are scheduled to begin on Monday 20 September, will involve the replacement of almost 1km of old problematic cast iron water mains along Trafalgar Road, including Cliff Road, that were prone to leakage. The pipes will be replaced with new, high density polyethylene (plastic) pipes which will improve water quality and reduce high levels of leakage which was impacting the water supply to customers in this area.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 this improvement work.

To facilitate the safe delivery of these works, there will be a requirement for intermittent road closures. Traffic management will be in place and diversions will be clearly signposted. Local and emergency traffic will be maintained at all times. Uisce Éireann and Wicklow County Council will make every effort to maintain normal supply to all properties throughout the works however some short-term water shut offs may be necessary and the project team will ensure that customers are given a minimum of 48 hours’ notice prior to any planned water shut offs and temporary road closures. Uisce Éireann and Wicklow County Council regret any inconvenience these improvement works may cause. These works will be carried out on behalf of Uisce Éireann by Ward and Burke Ltd and are expected to be completed in early December.

Speaking about these works, Joe Carroll, Uisce Éireann’s Regional Lead, commented “These works are vital to ensure a more secure water supply to homes and businesses in Greystones and are part of a significant investment by Uisce Éireann to safeguard the water supply. We understand this type of work can be inconvenient and we will ensure our work crews make every effort to minimise any disruption these works may cause.”

These works are an example of how Uisce Éireann is working in partnership with Wicklow 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.

The national Leakage Reduction Programme which will see €500 million invested up to the end of 2021 helps to reduce the level of leakage across the country by fixing and replacing old water mains. This will ensure a safe, reliable water supply which is vital for our health, our environment and our growing population and economy. For more information, visit our National Leakage Reduction Programme section.

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.

Further information is available on our National Leakage Reduction Programme section.