Works continue to drive down leakage across Meath

Securing the water supply in Co Meath remains a top priority for Uisce Éireann as the intensive campaign continues to drive down leakage across the county and improve the water supply to homes and businesses.

These projects continue to be delivered as part of Uisce Éireann's national Leakage Reduction Programme which is delivering significant benefits to local communities across Ireland including improved water quality, a more secure water supply and considerable water savings.

Working in partnership with Meath County Council, Uisce Éireann is replacing almost 2kms of aged and problematic water mains, with new modern pipes on the Dublin Road in Trim, Co Meath.  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.

The project will begin this week and represents a significant investment by Uisce Éireann. Replacement of the water mains and service connections will eliminate existing leaks, reducing the amount of clean drinking water lost into the ground. These works will also deliver major costs savings through an improved water network operation that will require less maintenance once completed.

Highlighting the importance of these upgrades, Matt Thomson, Leakage Reduction Programme Regional Lead with Uisce Éireann, said, "We are delighted to announce this major investment for Trim. Replacing these old and damaged, pipes is a first step in tackling water quality, pressure and leakage issues which have been affecting homes and businesses. The works will not only reduce the amount of drinking water lost to leakage, but it will also significantly improve water quality for the local community as well as delivering a much more reliable supply for generations to come."

Matt added, "To minimise the impact on the local community, we are delivering these works on a phased basis with areas of work limited to short sections. On behalf of Uisce Éireann, I'd like thank the local community in Trim in advance for their patience and cooperation as traffic management will be necessary as the project progresses. However, based on previous experiences, we know that the short-term inconvenience will be overshadowed by the long-term benefits."

The works may involve some short-term supply interruptions which we understand may cause inconvenience, however, the project team will ensure that customers are given a minimum of 48 hours' notice prior to any planned water interruptions. The project is being delivered on behalf of Uisce Éireann by GMC Utilities Group and is expected to be completed by the end of August 2022.  

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 reduced to 38%.  We are on track to achieve a national leakage rate of 25% by the end of 2030. For more information, please visit www.water.ie/reducingleaks.

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 the Uisce Éireann website.

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.