Site investigation works to commence ahead of upgrade projects

16 April 2021

Uisce Éireann, working in partnership with Cork City Council, will begin site investigation works next week ahead of three planned strategic water supply upgrade projects, which will commence in the coming months and are required to safeguard water supply to the City.

The site investigation works will commence on Monday next, 19 April and take place at night along Pope’s Quay, North Mall, Sunday’s Well Road, Shanakiel Road and Lee Road. The site investigation works will take approximately 3 weeks to complete and traffic management will be in place to facilitate the works.

The site investigation works are required in advance of three Uisce Éireann projects, which will deliver a much-improved water supply to the city centre and surrounding areas. The planned projects will involve the construction of additional strategic watermains, replacing existing watermains and upgrading multiple pumping stations that supply drinking water to the city from Lee Road water treatment plant. The projects will increase the security of drinking water supply, reduce leakage, increase capacity and enable growth and development of the city. They will also result in improved energy efficiency across the city’s water treatment plants and networks.

Farrans Construction is delivering the projects on behalf of Uisce Éireann. The site investigation works will commence on Monday next, 19 April and will involve both site investigation and ecological surveys along Pope’s Quay, North Mall, Sunday’s Well Road, Shanakiel Road and Lee Road. These works will be carried out at night between the hours of 7:30pm and 6:00am to minimise disruption. Each of the locations across the city will take approximately 1-2 working nights to complete. Uisce Éireann expects these works to last for approximately 3 weeks in total. Traffic management will be in place to facilitate these site investigation works.

Sean Twohig, Regional Infrastructure Lead with Uisce Éireann said, “Uisce Éireann is about to commence site investigation works ahead of three strategic water supply upgrade projects in Cork City. Our teams will work to minimise any potential disruption caused by the site investigation to residents, communities and businesses in the Pope’s Quay, North Mall, Sunday’s Well Road, Shanakiel Road and Lee Road areas of the City.

“Uisce Éireann is committed to improving water supply and reducing leakage nationally. These projects are critical to improve security of supply into the city, reduce leakage across the city’s networks and support development and growth of the city in the decades ahead. We are looking forward to delivering these important projects and working with the local communities to minimise any potential disruption.”

Following on from the planned site investigation works, the upgrade projects are expected to commence in the coming months and will take two years to complete.

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.