Upgrades to improve water supply and reduce leakage along Ecco Road, Dundalk

Uisce Éireann is working in partnership with Louth County Council to replace old, problematic water mains along Ecco Road, Dundalk to reduce high levels of leakage, frequency of bursts and provide a more reliable water supply for the community. These works will commence in early September in line with current Government and HSE COVID-19 guidance, and will be carried out by GMC Utilities Group Limited on behalf of Uisce Éireann.

The works will involve the replacement of over 247 metres of old cast iron water mains along Ecco Road, Dundalk 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. Where the existing service connections on the public side are lead these will be replaced as part of this improvement work. Works are expected to be completed by October 2021.

Short-term interruptions to the water supply may be necessary, however, Uisce Éireann will ensure that customers are given advanced notice prior to any planned supply disruptions. To facilitate the safe delivery of the works, traffic management will be in place. Diversion routes will be clearly signposted and emergency and restricted local access will be maintained. Uisce Éireann and Louth County Council regret any inconvenience these necessary works may cause.

Speaking about these works, Matt Thomson, Uisce Éireann's Regional Lead, commented "These works are vital to ensure a more secure water supply to homes and businesses in Dundalk and are part of a significant investment by Uisce Éireann 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."

These works are an example of how Uisce Éireann is working in partnership with Louth County Council to reduce leaks every day. Fixing leaks can be complicated with over 63,000km of water pipe in Ireland. Most leaks aren't visible, resulting in precious water being lost but we are making progress. In 2018 the rate of leakage nationally was 46%, by the end of 2020 it was reduced to 40% and we are currently on course to achieving a national leakage rate of 38% by the end of 2021.

The national Leakage Reduction Programme which will see €500 million invested up to the end of 2021 helps to reduce the level of leakage across the country by fixing and replacing old water mains. This will ensure a safe, reliable water supply which is vital for our health, our environment and our growing population and economy. For more information, please visit our National Leakage Reduction Programme page.

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

Our customer care helpline is open 24/7 on 1800 278 278 and customers can also contact us on Twitter @IWCare with any queries.