Castletownbere Water Main Replacement

Uisce Éireann replacing ageing water mains in Castletownbere, Co. Cork to improve security of supply and quality for local customers and businesses and reduce high levels of leakage.

Uisce Éireann, working in partnership with Cork County Council, will begin works to replace ageing water mains in Castletownbere, Co. Cork. These works are scheduled to commence in the coming weeks. These works are being carried out as part of Uisce Éireann’s national Leakage Reduction Programme.

The Leakage Reduction Programme will see over €500 million invested over four years to reduce leakage and remove problematic pipes from the public water network. These works will help to ensure that we have a clean, safe and reliable water supply now and into the future to support our growing population and economy.

Steps

• Decommissioning and replacing 1057 meters of old and damaged cast iron mains
• Decommissioning and replacing 900 meters of asbestos cement water mains
• Existing pipes will be replaced with new modern polyethylene plastic pipes
• The works will also involve laying new water service connections from the public water main in the street/road to customers’ property boundaries and connecting it to the customer’s water supply

Where will works take place

• The R572/R571 from Dinish Island Bridge to Chapel Lane
• The L-4917 on the east side of the square
• The west side of the square
• A section along the L-4717

Benefits

• A reliable water supply – replacing the ageing water mains and service connections will reduce the instances of bursts and water outages and will ensure a reliable supply of water to customers and local businesses in the area
• Improved water quality – removing existing old cast iron and potentially lead from the public water network and replacing them with new pipes will reduce the risk of contamination
• Reduced leaks – replacing the old water mains and service connections will eliminate existing leaks and reduce the amount of clean drinking water lost into the ground
• Improved operation and maintenance – these works will deliver cost savings by providing improved water network operation that will require less maintenance in the future