Residents of Drumgoold Villas Enniscorthy set for a better water supply
22 September 2022
Uisce Éireann, working in partnership with Wexford County Council, is replacing ageing backyard water mains and providing new service connections for customers in Drumgoold Villas in Enniscorthy.
The project, which commenced this week involves the replacement of water connections, typically made of iron or lead, that were installed in the back gardens of some older housing estates. The pipework, due to age and deteriorating condition, are a significant source of leakage and reduced levels of service. Backyard services are usually shared, running through several neighbouring properties, making it difficult to detect and repair leaks. Since all properties share a connection, leaks and bursts affect all properties; usually resulting in low pressure.
The works in Drumgoold Villas, Enniscorthy involve the decommissioning of ageing back yard water mains and the delivery of over 190m of new water mains constructed along the public road.
These latest water mains replacement follow hot on the heels of our crews who were in Pearse Road, St. John’s Villas and on the Old Dublin road in Enniscorthy where hundreds of new water mains were constructed along the public road, bringing a safer and more reliable supply to residents there.
Outlining the benefits the Backyard Service Replacement Project will bring, Joe Carroll from Uisce Éireann, explained:
“Replacing these old and problematic pipes in Drumgoold Villas will reduce the drinking water lost by leakage and will bring an all-round improvement to water quality for the local community.
Joe added: “In partnership with Shareridge Ltd and Wexford County Council, we have been engaging with the residents and aim to complete the works with as little disruption as possible. However, the works may involve some short-term water outages, but our project team will ensure that customers are given a minimum of 48-hours’ notice prior to any planned water outages.
“Where watermains are being constructed, traffic management may be in place. Parking spaces may be temporarily closed in order to complete works. Local and emergency traffic will be maintained at all times.”
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 our Supply and Service Updates section or set your location on our website.
Since 2018, Uisce Éireann has invested over €500 million to upgrade the underground water network across the country through the delivery of the Leakage Reduction Programme. We are investing a further €600 million up to the end of 2024 - fixing leaks and replacing pipes to provide a more reliable water supply. This project is one example of how Uisce Éireann is working in partnership with Local Authorities to reduce leakage and provide a more reliable water supply. Fixing leaks can be complicated but we are making progress. In 2018 the rate of leakage nationally was 46%, by the end of 2021 it was 38%. We are on track to achieve a national leakage rate of 25% by the end of 2030.