Water mains replacement works completed in Galway

Uisce Éireann, working in partnership with Galway City Council and Galway County Council, have successfully decommissioned and replaced problematic and old cast iron water mains in Forster Park and Ceadarwood Close in Galway City and in Lemonfield, Oughterard.

The works involved the replacement of approximately 310 metres of problematic water mains in Forester Park, 250 metres in Ceaderwood Close and a further 450 metres of old cast iron water mains in Lemonfield, Oughterard. Such works will see an improvement in water quality, ensure the provision of a more reliable water supply and reduction in the high levels of leakage experienced in the area.

Speaking about the works, Uisce Éireann's National Leakage Reduction Programme Regional Lead, Gerry O'Donnell said: "The completion of these works is another step in improving the water network in Galway. I am delighted to confirm that the water mains replacement works in Lemonfield, Oughterard and in Forster Park and Cedarwood Close in Galway City are now complete.

Gerry continued: "The importance of replacing such problematic water mains in these areas cannot be underestimated. Replacing these old, damaged pipes will significantly improve the drinking water quality, reduce the instances of bursts, eliminate existing leaks and reduce the amount of cleaning drinking water lost to leakage. The new water mains and service connections will also help conserve this precious resource and improve levels of services for homes and businesses in the area in terms of efficiency and security of supply. These improvements to the water network are essential in providing a safe, secure and reliable water supply, now and into the future.

Gerry added: "The works did involve some short-term water shut offs and traffic management measures which we understand causes inconvenience to local communities. However, we would like to take this opportunity to thank customers for their patience while we completed these essential water main replacement works.''

The works were carried out as part of Uisce Éireann's National Leakage Reduction Programme by Farran's Construction Ltd.

Reflecting on the importance of the works for the Oughterard area Michael Timmins, Senior Engineer with Galway County Council, said: "As a result of the collaborative work between Uisce Éireann and Galway County Council, customers in the Lemonfield area are enjoying a more secure and reliable water supply. The project will benefit customers in the area by improving drinking water quality and supply while also reducing leakage rates. Completion of these works will also improve operational efficiencies by providing improved water network operation that will require less maintenance in the future."

Lieze Fanning, Senior Engineer, Water Services with Galway City Council, explains: "The replacement of these old pipes in Forster Park and Ceaderwood Close will safeguard the water supply and have a positive impact on leakage and the daily lives of the local community. The project will also benefit residential and business customers in the area by improving the water network performance, reducing disruptions to water supply, reducing leakage rates and unplanned outages when bursts occurred on the existing mains."

Fixing leaks can be complicated with over 63,000 km 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 achieve a national leakage rate of 38% by the end of 2021.

The National Leakage Reduction Programme helps provide a more reliable water supply to Irish communities, reduce high levels of leakage and improve water quality. Its delivery means investment of over €500 million between 2017 and the end of 2021 to reduce leakage through a number of different work streams and replace old pipes on the water network.

Further information on our National Leakage Reduction Programme is available on our website.

Uisce Éireann continues to work 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.