Works to replace ageing and problematic water mains in Newmarket area

04 November 2022

Uisce Éireann and Cork County Council is replacing ageing and problematic water mains in Clonfert, Newmarket, Co. Cork which will improve water quality and provide a more reliable water supply for the community. 

The works involve the replacement of approximately 2702m of problematic water mains with new modern pipes. The programme to replace the water mains in Clonfert, Newmarket Co. Cork will commence in early November 2022. These works are being carried out as part of Uisce Éireann’s National Leakage Reduction Programme.

The section of works will take place along the L5093 Lisdangan, Clonfert. The works will also involve laying new water service connections from the public water main in the road to customers’ property boundaries and connecting it to the customers’ water supply. Where the existing service connections on the public side are lead these will be replaced as part of this improvement work.

Speaking about the works, Uisce Éireann's Steven Blennerhassett said;

“These works are a critical step in conserving our precious resource and reducing high levels of leakage which have been a significant source of disruption and outages for customers.  Replacing these old water mains will eliminate existing leaks and significantly reduce the amount of clean drinking water lost into the ground.” The works will be carried out on behalf of Uisce Éireann by Ward and Burke Construction and are expected to be completed by the end of December 2022.

During this project there may be some short-term water outages and the project team will ensure that customers are given a minimum of 48 hours notice before any planned water outages. We understand that road works and water outages can be inconvenient, but our crews will make every effort to minimise disruption to local communities as we continue to improve the water supply in county Cork and progress the National Leakage Reduction Programme.

Uisce Éireann’s 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 Water Supply Updates section or set your location on our website.

This project is one example of how Uisce Éireann is working in partnership with Local Authorities to reduce leakage and provide a more reliable water supply.  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 38%. We are on track to achieve a national leakage rate of 25% by the end of 2030.

For more information on reducing leaks visit our National Leakage Reduction Programme page.