Work continues to reduce Leitrim’s leakage by replacing old water mains in Fenagh and Dromahair
06 January 2023
It has been a busy start to 2023 for the team at Uisce Éireann as its intensive campaign to drive down leakage continues across County Leitrim. Communities in Fenagh and Dromahair can look forward to a more reliable water supply with two leakage reduction projects commencing this week as part of Uisce Éireann’s commitment to upgrade the underground water network across the county.
Crews will be on the ground in the coming days to replace over 1.5km of problematic water mains in Foxfield, Fenagh and a further 1.5km of ageing water mains Cleen, Dromahair with new modern pipes. These improvement works will provide a more reliable water supply for the local communities.
The replacement of water mains and service connections will also eliminate existing leaks and reduce the amount of clean drinking water lost into the ground.
These projects are being delivered as part of Uisce Éireann’s national Leakage Reduction Programme which continues to deliver significant benefits to communities across Ireland, including improved water quality, a more secure water supply and considerable water savings.
Working in partnership with Leitrim County Council, Uisce Éireann is replacing over 3km of old, damaged pipes with new, modern pipework will greatly reduce the instances of bursts, outages, and low-pressure affecting customers in the area. These works will also deliver cost savings by providing improved water network operations that will require less maintenance into the future.
This positive news for County Leitrim so early in the New Year is something that Declan Cawley, Leakage Reduction Programme Regional Lead with Uisce Éireann is pleased to confirm.
“We are delighted to announce this major investment for County Leitrim. Replacing these old and damaged pipes is a first step in tackling low water pressure, bursts, and leakage issues which have been affecting homes and businesses. The new pipes will not only reduce the number of water interruptions but will provide security of supply for generations of local people."
“On behalf of Uisce Éireann, I would like thank the local community in advance for their patience and cooperation as traffic management will be necessary as the project progresses, however, based on previous experiences, we know that the short-term inconvenience will be overshadowed by the long-term benefits,” he said.
The works 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. The project may involve some short-term supply interruptions which we understand may cause inconvenience, however, the project team will ensure that customers are given a minimum of 48 hours’ notice prior to any planned water interruptions.
In Fenagh, the section of works to replace over 1.5km of ageing water mains will take place along the R209, Foxfield Road and a road closure will be in place along the R209 until 3 March, 2023 for the safe delivery of works. Traffic will be diverted via the R209, R202/R208 and R210. As works proceed towards the centre of Fenagh village, it is expected works will be carried out under a lane closure with 2-way temporary traffic lights in operation. Local and emergency traffic will be maintained at all times.
In Dromahair, the section of works to replace almost 1.5km of problematic water mains with new modern pipes will take place along the R287 at Cleen with areas of work limited to short sections to minimise impact on customers.
The works are being carried out on behalf of Uisce Éireann by Farrans Construction and are expected to be complete in April 2023.
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 reduced to 38%. We are on track to achieve a national leakage rate of 25% by the end of 2030. For more information, please visit our National Leakage Reduction Programme page.
The Uisce Éireann 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 the Supply and Service Updates section of the Uisce Éireann website.