Update on burst water main affecting Drogheda, East Meath and surroundings

Update 6.30pm, Sunday July 23

Due to the ongoing works to repair a burst water main supplying raw water to the Staleens water treatment plant in Drogheda, the reservoir storage capacities at both Donore and Windmill Hill reservoirs are now exhausted leading to water supply disruptions in the following areas:

Duleek, Lagavoreen, Donore, Ashbourne, Stamullen, Kentstown, and Ardcath. Containers of water are available for customers at the following locations:

• 2 in Duleek at the church
• 1 at Lagavoreen at the entrance to the estate
• 1 at Donore village at the church
• 2 in Ashbourne at Race Hill
• 1 at Stamullen on the Bellewstown Road outside the housing estate
• 1 at Kenstown outside Londis in the car park
• 1 at Ardcath at the church
• 2 at Ratoath, one at St Paul’s School and 1 at the National School on Fairyhouse Road
• Knockcommon - at the school
• Garristown - in Snailbox car park
• Curragha - at church
• Duleek - third collection point

Customers must bring their own containers to avail of the water and are advised that water must be boiled before consumption as a precaution.

Water is also being tankered to Stamullen and Cairns reservoirs to augment the supply there.

Irish Water working in partnership with Louth County Council continues to implement our water contingency plans as water repairs prove to be challenging due to the age and type of pipe.

Crews have been on site since early on Friday morning. The burst is located over four metres underground and requires a complex repair.

A bespoke engineering solution is being attempted to address the complexity of the burst and it is estimated that the supply will be restored at the earliest by Monday evening.

Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital remains supplied with water and the rationing plan for the town has been activated.

In response to the ongoing water shortages being experience in Drogheda, Irish Water and Louth County Council have supplemented the water supply coming in to Drogheda. This is being done by using large tankers to bring treated water in from neighbouring areas such as Collon and Tullyallen. This water is being delivered directly into the water network to increase available water for the rotating water roster, whereby water is rationed to different areas in a planned way. This should ensure that all locations have water for certain periods. The roster of locations will be posted on Louth County Council and Irish water web sites and will be updated.

The importing of water will continue until normal service resumes.

In addition to the scheme described temporary water stations from 10.00am are deployed at the following locations:

1. Stameen on the Dublin Road
2. Termonabbey
3. Marleys Lane
4. Bothar Brugha or Hardmans Gardens
5. Ballsgrove shops
6. Shop St North Quay

These are available for members of the public to take water from. People are reminded to bring clean containers and to boil water taken from these stations before use, as a precaution.

Irish Water apologises to customers for the inconvenience caused and thanks them for their patience while crews work to repair the burst. Irish Water and Louth County Council would like to thank the public for their patience and apologise for ongoing inconvenience.

Customers can contact our customer care helpline 24/7 on 1850 278 278 or visit our service and supply map for further updates.

Irish Water’s Top Tips for Conserving Water:

• Leak free: Check that your home is leak free. Check for running overflows and fix any dripping taps, cisterns or pipes.
• Don’t let the tap run: Brushing your teeth with the tap running can use up to a staggering 6 litres per minute. Brushing your teeth with the tap off will use a more modest 1 litre of water.
• Shower vs. Bath: The average bath uses 80 litres of water compared to an average shower using 49 litres in seven minutes. Switch your bath to a shower for a massive water saving.
• Less time: With the average shower using 7 litres of water per minute by turning your five minute shower into four minutes, you could save up to 7 litres of water per day!
• Fully loaded: Always ensure your dishwasher and washing machines are fully loaded. A modern washing machine uses approximately 65 litres of water per cycle while a dishwasher uses 20 litres. By ensuring they are fully loaded, not only will you conserve water but you will also reduce your energy bills.
• Don’t flush it all away: A third of all water used in the home is flushed down the toilet. Some larger cisterns can continue to work effectively with a smaller flush. Place a displacement device (such as a brick) into the cistern (out of the way of moving parts) to save water.
• Don’t forget to collect: Rainwater is excellent for your garden. Collect it in a water butt from your gutters but always make sure to securely cover the large container for safety.