Works continue to drive down leakage across Mullingar with the completion of works at Ballinea

16 May 2022

Securing the water supply in Westmeath remains a vital focus for Uisce Éireann. Working in partnership with Westmeath County Council, Uisce Éireann has replaced a 1.2 km section of water mains along the R390 in Ballinea to provide a more reliable water supply, reduce high levels of leakage and improve water quality to homes and local businesses. This is in addition to 800 meters of completed works carried out during the first phase of the project which has seen a total of 2kms of water mains replaced in Ballinea.

The old mains have been replaced with new modern pipes which will reduce the number of bursts and water interruptions impacting customers and ensure a more reliable supply of water for the local community. The works involved laying new water service connections from the public water mains in the road to customers’ property boundaries and connecting it to the customers’ water supply. 

Speaking about the project Matt Thomson, Leakage Reduction Programme Regional Lead with Uisce Éireann said: “These works were vital to ensure a more secure water supply to homes and businesses in Mullingar and form part of a significant investment by Uisce Éireann to safeguard the water supply. We understand that this type of work can be inconvenient, but it is essential to drive down leakages in Mullingar and across Westmeath. We would like to thank the community of Mullingar for their patience and cooperation during the delivery and completion phase of this vital water network improvement works. The completion of this project will safeguard the water supply for Ballinea’s residents and businesses now and into the future”.

This project is one example of how Uisce Éireann is working in partnership with Local Authorities to provide a more reliable water supply and reduce leakage. Fixing leaks can be complicated but we are making progress. In 2018 the rate of leakage nationally was 46% and by the end 2021 it was 38%. We are on track to achieve a national leakage rate of 25% by the end of 2030.

Uisce Éireann is responsible for the delivery of all public water and wastewater services in Ireland. We are committed to continuously upgrading and developing critical infrastructure to support the growth needed in housing and across our economy, while protecting the environment and safeguarding water supplies.

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 our website.