Water main replacement works progressing in Ashford, Co. Wicklow

Works to reduce high levels of leakage and provide a more reliable water supply

Irish Water is working in partnership with Wicklow County Council to replace old, problematic water mains in Main Street, Ashford to reduce high levels of leakage and provide a more reliable water supply for the community. These works will begin on Monday 31 August in line with Government and HSE guidance, and will be carried out by Ward and Burke Ltd on behalf of Irish Water.

The works will involve the replacement of approximately 2,624 metres of problematic water mains along Main Street with high density polyethylene (plastic) pipes. Works will also involve laying new water service connections from the public water mains to customers’ property boundaries and connecting it to the customers’ water supply. 

Short-term water shut-offs may be necessary, however, Irish Water will ensure that customers are given a minimum of 48 hours’ notice prior to any planned supply disruptions. To facilitate the safe delivery of the works, temporary road closures and traffic management will be in place and the local community will be notified in advance. Diversion routes will be clearly signposted and emergency and restricted local access will be maintained. Irish Water and Wicklow County Council regret any inconvenience these necessary works may cause.

Speaking about these works, Joe Carroll, Irish Water’s Regional Lead, commented “These works are vital to ensure a more secure water supply to homes and businesses in Ashford and are part of a significant investment by Irish Water 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.”

Leakage Reduction Programme

These works are being carried out as part of Irish Water’s national Leakage Reduction Programme which involves an investment of over €500 million between 2017 and 2021 and helps provide a more reliable water supply to Irish communities, reduce high levels of leakage and improve water quality. To date, Irish Water has saved almost 1.9 million litres of water per day across Wicklow following a collaborative and strategic approach to reducing leakage. This is the equivalent amount of water used daily by 14,700 people and involved replacing almost 20km of ageing water mains and repairing over 250 leaks through the First Fix Free scheme. The First Fix Free scheme alone has saved almost 150,000 litres of water every day in 2020. 

Irish Water 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. Irish Water would like to remind people to follow the HSE COVID-19 advice and ensure frequent handwashing.

More information

Our customer care helpline is open 24/7 on 1850 278 278 and customers can also contact us on Twitter @IWCare with any queries. For more information on leakage reduction visit our Leakage Reduction Programme page.