Frequently Asked Questions

The Water Supply Project, Eastern and Midlands Region (the Proposed Project) will secure a new source of water from the River Shannon at Parteen Basin. 
The Proposed Project will abstract raw water from the River Shannon at Parteen Basin and transfer it through a 172km steel pipeline to a new reservoir at Peamount, Co. Dublin. Along the pipeline there will be five infrastructure sites, a Flow Control Valve and ancillary pipeline features such as valves and wash-outs that are needed to clean and move the water through the pipeline. 

The Proposed Project infrastructure is needed to deliver water to the Greater Dublin Area and provide the capacity for future offtakes to supply communities in other parts of the Eastern and Midlands Region (once future projects are brought forward). 

Once completed, the Proposed Project will, in accordance with the Regional Water Resources Plan – Eastern and Midlands (the Eastern and Midlands Plan) provide infrastructure with the capacity to meet the drinking water need for a Water Supply Area consisting of 36 Water Resource Zones (WRZ) across the Eastern and Midlands Region¹.

¹ 37 WRZs were identified in the Eastern and Midlands Plan consisting of the Greater Dublin Area DA WRZ and 36 other WRZs. Subsequently Barndarrig WRZ and Redcross WRZ have been rationalised and combined and so the total is now 36 Water Resource Zones consisting of the Greater Dublin Area WRZ and 35 other WRZs.

The overall aim of the Proposed Project is to develop a new source of water supply with capacity to meet the domestic, commercial, and industrial water supply needs of up to 50% of Ireland’s population into the medium to long-term future to 2050 and beyond and provide safe, secure, resilient and sustainable drinking water supplies across the region.

The overall aim of the Proposed Project is to develop a new source of water supply with capacity to meet the domestic, commercial, and industrial water supply needs of up to 50% of Ireland’s population into the medium to long-term future to 2050 and beyond and provide safe, secure, resilient and sustainable drinking water supplies across the region.

Currently, the water supply in the region is on a knife edge. The average demand for water in the Greater Dublin Area in 2023 almost reached the maximum sustainable capacity of our water supply sources during normal weather conditions. Mullingar has had similar challenges. 

The Greater Dublin Area is already experiencing a deficit in the reliability of drinking water supply. In recent years this has resulted in widespread outages due to seasonal weather events. In the broader Eastern and Midlands Region, total demand is projected to increase by approximately 10%, driven by a 25% rise in the regional population. If no action is taken, the water deficit in this region will grow significantly. 

By 2044, it is estimated that 34% more water will be needed than is currently available. The lack of a new water source will have severe consequences for the region. In some areas, this could mean restrictions on housing or commercial water supply connections for new customers by the end of the decade. Additionally, existing customers will face more frequent water supply outages and restrictions over time.

Currently a single source, the River Liffey, supplies 85% of the water requirements for 1.7 million people in the Greater Dublin Area, comprising Dublin and parts of Meath, Kildare and Wicklow. In addition, 67% of the water resource zones in the Eastern and Midlands Region are unable to provide adequate reliability to our customers. 

Overdependence on one source, the River Liffey is a critical weakness in the water supply and action must be taken to ensure the Eastern and Midlands Region’s water supply can meet current and future demand. 

To manage the peaks in demand caused by extreme weather events, which are expected to become more frequent due to climate change, additional capacity is essential. This growing demand places thousands of homes and businesses at significant risk of experiencing water shortages or reduced service. The current supply and demand imbalance will only intensify in the coming years due to the following factors:

• Population growth needs: The population of the Eastern and Midlands Region is expected to grow by 26% by 2044, increasing demand for water services. The ‘Housing for All’ strategy relies upon water services infrastructure and capacity being available to meet requirements.
• Economic growth needs: FDI alone is expected to grow by 73% in the Greater Dublin Area between 2019 and 2050. 
• Climate Change: There have already been water restrictions as a result of drought conditions in recent years. The impacts of climate change are now clearly in evidence and are expected to increase in the years to come. Extreme weather including droughts and intense rainfall will affect both the availability and quality of water sources. 

The aim of the Proposed Project is to provide a sustainable water supply from a New Shannon Source and thereby:

• Provide a sustainable water supply from a New Shannon Source. 
• Address critical supply issues in the Greater Dublin Area with provision for future supplies to multiple WRZs in the Region. 
• Increase resilience of supplies and Levels of Service. 
• Deliver a flexible, future-proofed solution that is responsive to change.

The Proposed Project will:

• Immediately meet the demand for water within the Greater Dublin Area WRZ to 2050 and beyond.
• Enable the future supply to 17 other WRZs by re-directing supplies within the GDA WRZ and expanding the GDA WRZ by incorporating these WRZs into the GDA Regional WRZ, when future projects are brought forward by Uisce Éireann.
• Enable the future supply to a further 18 WRZs across the midlands from take-off points along the pipeline and facilitate the consolidation of those WRZs into four new WRZs, when future projects are brought forward by Uisce Éireann. 
• Make provision for potential reductions in existing supply volumes due to sustainability requirements anticipated under the new abstraction licensing regime. 

The Proposed Project, consisting of a new water supply abstraction at Parteen Basin on the Lower River Shannon and a treated water pipeline to Dublin with potential to supply a number of locations across the Midlands and East, is substantially consistent with the Preferred Approach identified in the Eastern and Midlands Plan which consists of a New Shannon Source with transfers.

The Water Supply Area consists of the 36 WRZs identified by the Eastern and Midlands Plan as having a deficit in supply to be met by a New Shannon Source.

37 WRZs were identified in the Eastern and Midlands Plan consisting of the Greater Dublin Area WRZ and 36 other WRZs. 

Subsequently Barndarrig WRZ and Redcross WRZ have been rationalised and combined and so the total is now 36 WRZs consisting of the Greater Dublin Area WRZ and 35 other WRZs. 

The Proposed Project infrastructure has the capacity to supply the volume of water needed by 2050 in these WRZs. Further projects, subject to their own consenting process will need to be brought forward by Uisce Éireann to deliver any works needed to connect the other 35 WRZs.

Up to a maximum of 300 megalitres will be abstracted per day (Mld). This is the peak abstraction and is expected to only be required during extreme events such as a drought within the Water Supply Area. 

During more typical weather the volume of water abstracted will be much lower than this maximum.

The proposed abstraction point for taking water from the River Shannon will be located on the eastern shore of Parteen Basin, in the townland of Garrynatineel, approximately 3.3km north-east of Parteen Weir.

The Proposed Project involves abstraction of a maximum of 2% of the long term annual average flow of the River Shannon at Parteen Basin. The River Shannon is the largest river in Ireland and its catchment covers 20% of the island of Ireland. Indeed, it has a catchment 13 times the size of the River Liffey. 

The abstraction of water will be from Parteen Basin, upstream of Parteen Weir.

The water will be taken from Parteen Basin, which is an existing impounding reservoir used for energy generation by the Electricity Supply Board (ESB) and located in the last lake before the Shannon discharges to the sea.

ESB controls the water levels in Parteen Basin by closely matching the amount of water taken by Ardnacrusha and the old river Shannon with the amount of water flowing into Parteen Basin each day. ESB must ensure that the water levels at Parteen Basin do not exceed the maximum or minimum safety levels of the earth embankments around the reservoir. To achieve this ESB manage water levels within an upper and a lower level known as the ‘Normal Operating Band’. Uisce Éireann will work with ESB to ensure that ESB can continue to keep water levels within this band. Part of this arrangement will be a reduction in the flow going to Ardnacrusha by the amount of water abstracted by the Proposed Project.  ESB, as part of an overall agreement with Uisce Éireann, will agree to the diversion to the Proposed Project abstraction, water that would otherwise have been used for electricity generation, on a continuous year round basis. As a result the abstraction of water for the Proposed Project is in essence, an abstraction from water normally used in the hydro-power plant, using the same existing water level controls. 

Modelling of abstraction under these conditions shows that the abstraction is sustainable within the existing normal operating water level range and consequently the operation of Lough Derg, post works, will feel and look very similar to the way it currently operates, and there will not be a visible day to day difference.

The Eastern and Midlands Plan identified that by 2044 the deficit in water in the GDA WRZ will be 183Mld. By 2050 this will increase to 197Mld. Having identified the New Shannon Source as the Preferred Approach to meet this deficit, it was identified that a further 83Mld will be needed from the New Shannon Source to meet the projected deficit within the wider Water Supply Area. 

This means that the Proposed Project needs to provide the capacity to supply a total of 280Mld by 2050 for the Water Supply Area.

A further allowance of 20Mld has been included to address reductions in existing supplies due to sustainability reductions that may be introduced under new licensing legislation.

As a result, the Proposed Project is being designed to deliver up to a maximum of 300Mld of treated water.

This is a generational project and is the first major ‘new source’ infrastructure in the region in the last 60 years. It will deliver a safe, secure, and sustainable source of water supply necessary to support the growing population and economy, including the demand for housing. It is a project that will enable Uisce Éireann to adapt to the effects of climate change by diversifying our water supply sources. 

It will provide the Greater Dublin Area including parts of Meath, Kildare and Wicklow with resilient, safe, and secure water and will have capacity to supply communities in Tipperary, Offaly and Westmeath along the route. 

It will support balanced regional development by facilitating the redirection of supplies currently serving Dublin to Louth, Meath, Wicklow, Carlow and Kildare, and provide infrastructure with capacity for future connections across the Midlands including for example, Mullingar, (once future projects are brought forward). 

The Proposed Project will, for the first time, create a treated water supply ‘spine’ across the country with the capacity for future offtakes to supply communities in Tipperary, Offaly and Westmeath along the route. As rainfall patterns typically vary across the country, connecting water supplies across the entire Eastern and Midlands Region reduces the vulnerability to drought and other climate change related weather events. 

The Proposed Project infrastructure will have the capacity to supply drinking water to up to 50% of Ireland’s population.

It will ultimately contribute to a more efficient, interconnected and resilient supply, supporting regional development by enabling more efficient management and control of water quality, and by streamlining infrastructure investment. This is essential to public health as well as social and economic growth.

The Proposed Project is one of the largest infrastructure projects in the history of the State and will have the capacity to meet the water supply needs for up to 50% of the population up to 2050 and beyond. 

The Proposed Project is still in the early stages of the project life cycle. The current preliminary project cost estimate of €4.58 billion to €5.96 billion has been developed in accordance with the principles set out in the Infrastructure Guidelines by international engineering experts Jacobs and verified by an Expert Review Panel. In addition, the Cost Benefit Analysis was developed by leading experts Ernst & Young. As the Proposed Project is at an early stage, a contingency allowance range of between €1.6bn - €2.9bn has been included in the cost estimate.

Uisce Éireann has rigorous programme management, risk management and governance processes in place to manage scope, programme and costs throughout the project lifecycle. Based on a cost estimate of €4.58 billion, it forecasts that the Proposed Project will deliver €12.25 of benefits for every €1 of costs and it therefore represents a positive investment for the State.

As the Proposed Project progresses through the three Decision Gates under the Infrastructure Guidelines, a rigorous system of checks and balances will mean that the project estimate is updated and reassessed to ensure value for money. 

More than 25 years of analysis and appraisal of the need and of potential solutions and alternatives has been completed in order to select the preferred option to provide a new source of water supply for the Greater Dublin Area of Dublin, Kildare, Wicklow and Meath and wider region. This process began with Dublin City Council in 1996 and was continued by Uisce Éireann when it assumed responsibility for managing Ireland’s water and wastewater services in 2014. 

Between 2014 and 2018, Uisce Éireann completed an extensive options appraisal process for the project. This comprised multi-criteria analysis of all available options (including technical and engineering, environmental, risk, economic and cost criteria), in addition to extensive stakeholder consultation. The outcome of Uisce Éireann’s Options Appraisal process was identification of the River Shannon - Parteen Basin as the preferred option to provide a new major source of water supply for the Greater Dublin Area and other areas in the region. 

Most recently, the options for the region were examined as part of Ireland’s first National Water Resources Plan (NWRP). The NWRP consisted of:

• Phase 1, the NWRP Framework Plan (the “Framework Plan”) set out the approach to identifying water supply needs and quantifying those needs up to year 2044 which, following public consultation, was finalised and adopted in Spring 2021.
• Phase 2 comprising the development of four Regional Water Resource Plans to identify the optimal technical solutions (the “Preferred Approaches”) required to address the needs outlined in the Framework Plan. The Regional Water Resource Plan – Eastern and Midlands Region (the “Eastern and Midlands Plan”) following public consultation was adopted in Autumn 2022. The Eastern and Midlands Plan reviewed 1,128 unconstrained options and developed 591 feasible options to address the needs identified in the region. A detailed assessment process was used to determine the best solutions across a range of criteria including whole life cost, carbon costs, resilience and environmental impacts. The Plan² identified that the Preferred Approach to address water supply need in the Greater Dublin Area and in 36 other WRZs in the Region is a New Shannon Source comprising of an abstraction from the Lower Shannon at Parteen Basin and a treated water pipeline to a termination point at Peamount, Co Dublin. 

The Proposed Project is a significant step towards delivering that Preferred Approach.

² 37 Water Resource Zones were identified in the Eastern and Midlands Plan consisting of the Greater Dublin Area WRZ and 36 other WRZs. Subsequently Barndarrig WRZ and Redcross WRZ have been rationalised and combined and so the total is now 36 WRZs consisting of the Greater Dublin Area WRZ and 35 other WRZs.

Uisce Éireann identified the Eastern and Midlands Region as the largest of the four regions defined as part of the NWRP in both land area and population size. It includes 19 counties encompassing 24 Local Authorities. The region covers approximately 20,900 square kilometres extending from the Shannon Estuary in the southwest, to the large River Boyne catchment and GDA in the northeast. The region is the primary economic region of Ireland and contains Dublin and Limerick City which provide more than 1 million jobs. 

Leakage reduction is a major priority for Uisce Éireann. Ambitious leakage reduction targets are included in the Supply Demand Balance calculations for the Water Supply Area. 

Uisce Éireann are making progress to reduce leakage. In 2018 the rate of leakage nationally was 46% and was reduced to 37% in 2022. We plan to reduce the national leakage rate further to 25% by the end of 2030 and to below 20% in the Greater Dublin Area. This will see a further 200 million litres of drinking water which would have been lost to leakage saved daily.

Uisce Éireann analysis indicates that even if it was possible to reduce leakage further to just 10%, this would still not be sufficient for long term GDA needs. Furthermore, the resilience risk would also persist and there would remain over reliance on the Liffey as the primary source of water for the region.

Groundwater sources are reliant on rainfall recharge during the winter period, to ensure availability in dry conditions. This recharge is then stored in rocks and soil, and provides baseflow for rivers. 

Although Ireland has relatively high annual average rainfall, it has relatively low groundwater storage compared to other European Countries.  Ireland's geological conditions typically do not support largescale abstraction for public water supply.  However, at local level for small supplies, groundwater is very important and Uisce Éireann has 800 groundwater water abstractions serving small villages and rural areas.

Desalination is the process of removing salt and minerals from seawater, making it suitable for drinking. Desalinated water is far less palatable than other water sources and the desalination process is extremely energy intensive.

Desalination has been considered extensively during the options appraisal stage both at project level and as part of the NWRP. It is not the preferred option, as it would have to be combined with another option, such as effluent re-use, to meet the quantity and quality required due to it needing blending with water from existing sources. Even then it does not resolve the lack of resilience we currently face or provide diversification of sources.

The River Slaney rises in the Wicklow Mountains and flows west and then south through counties Wicklow, Carlow and Wexford before discharging to the Irish Sea. Although the river is larger in size than the River Liffey, it does not have any impoundments or reservoirs along its length, and therefore has limited storage. This means that the volume that can be sustainably abstracted from the river is significantly reduced. 

The River Slaney is also designated as a High-Status Waterbody under the River Basin Management Plan. Therefore, even if the geographical conditions existed to create a large impounding dam and reservoir, Uisce Éireann would be unable to achieve consent for this due to the level of protection associated with the river.

Although generally considered a wet country, Ireland can be vulnerable to periods of dry weather, which can result in pressure upon the environment and water users in some areas. In addition, climate change is likely to bring uncertainty and, with a projected decrease in summer rainfall, may exert pressure in areas that have not yet experienced water scarcity. 

It's simple to turn on the water tap and fill a cup with clean drinking water, but many things must be done before this can happen.  Water from rivers may look clean but it needs to be treated before it is safe to drink.  Most of the water used in Ireland today is collected and stored in reservoirs. Rainfall is highest in hilly areas, so this is where most reservoirs are. Reservoirs are made by building a dam across the upper part of a river. The water then collects and makes a huge lake behind the dam creating water storage. The dam must be designed to hold back the huge amount of water behind it.  The amount of water flowing through the dam is controlled by opening and closing valves.

The correct geological conditions need to be available, for example a steep sided valley and the correct ground conditions to support a dam structure, along with a river large enough to support the quantity of water required. It is difficult to find a river with the correct characteristics, and most of those in the Wicklow mountains have been developed over the past 150 years. These include Vartry impoundment dam and reservoir at Roundwood, Poulaphuca reservoir on the river Liffey, and Bohernabreena reservoir on the River Dodder. 

Building a dam and reservoir is complicated and involves displacement of populations and land flooding. For example, the construction of Poulaphuca Dam in the late 1930’s created a reservoir that is the source of much of the supply for the Greater Dublin Area. The development resulted in the permanent removal of 70 families and the flooding of 5,000 acres of farmland. 

The building of dams and abstraction of water also permanently alters the downstream river's characteristics, which can affect fisheries and environmentally designated sites. New dams and reservoirs are uncommon due to modern environmental law in Europe and the scale of construction required to build and operate structures safely and efficiently. 

A combination of pumping and use of gravity will be used to move the water through the pipeline.  

The water in the Raw Water Rising Mains will be pumped from the Raw Water Intake and Pumping Station at Parteen Basin, to the Water Treatment Plant near Birdhill Tipperary, and following treatment it will also be pumped for the first 37km of the pipeline from the Water Treatment Plant to the Break Pressure Tank in Cloughjordan.  

The Break Pressure Tank is the high point along the pipeline and so from there the water will usually flow by gravity along the remaining 133km to the Termination Point Reservoir at Peamount. 

This has been done to reduce the energy needed to move water through the pipeline and will therefore, reduce the carbon used during operation. At times when the volume of water needed is higher, the water will be pumped through the pipeline from the Booster Pumping Station to the Termination Point Reservoir. The Booster Pumping Station provides the capability for this additional pumping, when it is required. 

Associated infrastructure sites are needed to treat raw water to a drinking water standard and transfer it across the country from Parteen Basin to Dublin. These comprise a:

• Raw Water Intake and Pumping Station on the eastern shore of Parteen Basin, Co Tipperary. 
• Water Treatment Plant near Birdhill, Co. Tipperary. 
• Break Pressure Tank near Cloughjordan, Co. Tipperary.  
• Booster Pumping Station east of Birr, Co. Offaly.  
• Termination Point Reservoir at Peamount, Co. Dublin.  
• Flow Control Valve near Hazelhatch, Co. Kildare.

The infrastructure needed for the Proposed Project consists of:

• A Raw Water Intake and Pumping Station on the eastern shore of Parteen Basin, Co.Tipperary which will abstract raw water from the Lower River Shannon downstream of Lough Derg; 
• Two steel pipelines of approximately 2km in length and 1500mm in diameter, which are referred to as the Raw Water Rising Mains. These will transfer raw water from the Raw Water Intake and Pumping Station to the Water Treatment Plant near Birdhill, Co. Tipperary; The Water Treatment Plant will treat the water to drinking standards. 
• A single steel pipe of approximately 170km in length and 1600mm in diameter will then transfer treated water from the Water Treatment Plant to the Termination Point Reservoir at Peamount, Co. Dublin. 
• Pipeline infrastructure including a Break Pressure Tank near Cloughjordan, Co. Tipperary, a Booster Pumping Station east of Birr, Co. Offaly and a Flow Control Valve in Co.Kildare; and 
• As well as the five Infrastructure Sites there will be a Flow Control Valve 5km west of the Termination Point Reservoir, near Hazelhatch in Co.Kildare. This is a specific valve that provides fine control of the flows in the Pipeline and will be used to manage the volume of water arriving at the Termination Point Reservoir.

In addition, the operation and maintenance of the various sections of pipeline require elements of ancillary pipeline infrastructure, such as:

System Control – the overall pipeline system control will be from a central Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) control that will be located at the Control Building at the Water Treatment Plant and monitored by Uisce Éireann National Operations Management Centre. All critical systems will be provided with an Uninterruptible Power Supply, with a battery back-up, to allow safe control, monitoring and shutdown in the event of power failure. The SCADA system will monitor and/or control all critical system activities.  

Line Valves - Line Valves will be installed along the length of the pipeline to enable sections of the pipe to be isolated, drained and recharged during the Commissioning Phase and for maintenance purposes during the Operational Phase. 

Kiosks – Each Line Valve location will incorporate an above-ground kiosk. The kiosk will contain the actuator for the Line Valve and will be located adjacent to the Line Valve. The kiosk will also contain the electricity connection, power, control, isolation and telemetry for the actuator. 

Lay-Bys - At Line Valve locations adjacent to roads, Lay-Bys will be constructed to facilitate safe parking during planned periodic inspection and maintenance of the Line Valves and associated electricity supply.

Washout Valves - Washout Valves will be located at every low point along the pipeline. These valves will be utilised to empty sections of the pipeline of test water which cannot be pumped to adjoining test sections. During pipeline operation, it will be very rare that these valves are used as they will generally only be required for emptying sections of the pipeline where necessary for emergency repairs or possibly for cleaning programmes, perhaps, every 20 to 30 years.

Air Valves – The control of air in the pipeline is critical for initial filling and priming, efficient operation and for draindown and recharge of the pipeline. Air Valves will be used to manage air within the pipeline and will be located at high points along the pipeline to allow air to be released.

Cathodic Protection - As well as the internal and external protective coatings, the steel pipeline will be protected against corrosion by placing a very low continuous voltage (1 or 2 volts) on to the pipeline which can be continuously monitored. This alerts the operators should changes in system current occur, which may indicate possible damage to the pipe coatings and that may, in the long run, cause localised corrosion. The system will work silently and continuously.

In accordance with the Eastern and Midlands Plan provision has been made for take-off points at strategic locations between the Water Treatment Plant and Termination Point Reservoir. These facilitate future connections to supply communities in the Midlands without disruption to the operation of the pipeline. The connecting pipelines and associated infrastructure will be delivered by Uisce Éireann through separate projects, that will be subject to their own separate consenting processes. 

These are the locations identified along the length of the Proposed Project that need a future connection to supply water to a WRZ for which the New Shannon Source was identified as the Preferred Approach in the Eastern and Midlands Plan. The location of these take-off points has been determined by the Eastern and Midlands Plan. Any connections to future water supplies from these points will be progressed via future projects and will be subject to their own consenting process.

The Take-offs included with the Proposed Project will be a special section of pipe which provide a ‘T’ shaped connection for a future pipe to be joined to.

The Take-Off points are:

• At the Water Treatment Plant for Newport / Killaloe WRZs; Immediately west of the Break Pressure Tank at Cloughjordan for Newtown / North Tipperary WRZ; 
• Two locations between the Booster Pumping Station and Termination Point Reservoir for Tullamore/ Mountbolus WRZ; andMullingar Regional WRZ.

There will be some disruption during construction. In general, a 50m wide temporary working corridor is required during the construction stage to build the pipeline. This will be widened for particular constraints such as trenchless crossings of major roads or rivers or to facilitate construction access. There will also be a series of construction compounds and pipe storage depots along the route.

The construction industry has established experience and techniques to reduce noise and dust disruption during construction, as far as reasonably practicable.
Sensitive receptors, such as local businesses, food production business and residential houses have been identified, and mitigation measures will be put in place where necessary to reduce disruption.

Traffic impacts will be assessed before construction of the pipeline and the associated infrastructure so mitigation measures can be incorporated into the management plans. Traffic movements will be projected based on the calculated pipeline and materials volumes to be brought to, and removed from, the sites, based on the planning stage design. 

Landowner Liaison Officers will keep landowners fully informed of developments and a Community Liaison Officer (CLO) will be on hand to provide updates to the local community and answer any questions throughout the construction period. 

Construction Compounds and Pipe Storage Depots are temporary facilities needed to support the construction of the Proposed Project. 

Construction Compounds will include space for management and welfare facilities. These will include temporary prefabricated buildings with staff offices, kitchen and toilet facilities. Construction Compounds will also contain areas for materials, plant storage and vehicle parking. 

There are four Principal Construction Compounds proposed, which will act as central strategic (operational) hubs for the project. These are proposed at the following locations: 

1. In the townland of Incha Beg, County Tipperary within the Water Treatment Plant Site for the construction of the Raw Water Intake & Pumping Station, Raw Water Rising Mains and Water Treatment Plant; 
2. In the townland of Lisgarriff, County Tipperary for the construction of the Pressure Pipeline and Break Pressure Tank; 
3.  In the townland of Killananny, County Offaly for the construction of the section of Gravity Pipeline between the Break Pressure Tank and the Booster Pumping Station, and the Booster Pumping Station itself; and 
4. In the townland of Drummond, County Kildare for the construction of the Gravity Pipeline from the BPS to the Termination Point Reservoir, and the Termination Point Reservoir itself. 

In addition to the four Principal Construction Compounds, there will be four secondary Satellite Construction Compounds, located at the Raw Water Intake & Pumping Station at Parteen Basin, Break Pressure Tank at Cloughjordan, Booster Pumping Station in Birr and Termination Point Reservoir in Peamount. These Satellite Construction Compounds will be required to build the Infrastructure Sites at these locations.

In addition, nine Pipe Storage Depots will be needed, which will take direct delivery of the pipe for storage before onward journey to the required location along the length of the pipeline. These are needed for the efficient construction of the pipeline. 

Construction will take approximately 5 years including a period of testing and commissioning. 

As part of the planning application, an Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIAR), Appropriate Assessment Screening (AA), Natura Impact Statement (NIS) and Water Framework Directive (WFD) compliance assessment report will be submitted by Uisce Éireann to An Bord Pleanála. The EIAR will report the findings of the environmental assessment undertaken by Uisce Éireann for the Proposed Project, including reporting the likely significant effects and setting out the mitigation measures to avoid or reduce likely adverse significant effects.

A NIS serves a crucial role in environmental protection. Its primary function is to assess the potential impacts of a proposed development or plan on the conservation objectives of nearby Natura 2000 sites. These sites are part of a network of protected areas across the EU, aimed at preserving biodiversity.

Although the work to inform the EIAR has been going on for many years there have been changes in Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) guidance and relevant policy. Therefore, Uisce Éireann prepared an updated scope and methodology for the EIAR in 2023. This outlines the proposed approach, scope and method of assessment of each environmental topic to be reported in the EIAR. Statutory Bodies were invited to comment on this update in Autumn 2023. 

The preparation of the EIAR is an on-going process which informs the development of the design and Uisce Éireann already has a deep understanding of the potential environmental effects that may arise from the Proposed Project and is working to develop mitigation to avoid or reduce these effects where reasonably practical to do so.  

There are many Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) and Special Protection Areas (SPA) located within the potential zone of influence of the Proposed Project. These include the Lower River Shannon SAC, the River Barrow and River Nore SAC, Lough Derg SPA and the River Shannon and River Fergus Estuaries SPA. Only one SAC will be directly impacted by the Proposed Project. This is the Lower River Shannon SAC which will be affected by the Raw Water Intake. 

Extensive ecological surveys have been undertaken between 2016 and 2024 to inform the EIA. Where potential impacts to protected areas and species are identified, mitigation measures will be implemented as appropriate. Proposed mitigation includes:

• Protecting existing habitats where these are to be retained
• Reinstating habitats including planting following construction, subject to planting restrictions within the wayleave.
• Reinstating areas of worked peat bog affected during construction of the Proposed Project.
• Using trenchless crossings to go underneath certain watercourses to avoid impacts on aquatic habitats and species.
• Working within a double silt curtain to avoid the risk of pollution to Parteen Basin. Protecting existing habitats where these are to be retained and reinstatement of habitats following construction.
• Using appropriate seasons to undertake vegetation clearance e.g. avoiding bird breeding season (March to August) and felling trees which have moderate to high potential for bat roosts from late August to early November.
• Using buffer strips around watercourses to protect marginal vegetation and reduce the risk of sediment or pollution entering the watercourse. 
• Implementing biosecurity protocols and removing or treating known invasive non-native species and damaging pathogens, such as trees affected by ash dieback prior to main construction works. Cleaning all plant and machinery used within infested areas before moving to other parts of the site.

Noise will primarily arise from the use of mechanical plant and machinery at the fixed infrastructure sites and at the proposed Construction Compounds and Pipe Storage Depots during construction. However, construction noise will occur along the whole construction corridor as a result of construction activities and from construction traffic.

The noisiest activities will include piling, groundbreaking, earthworks, tunnelling and the movement of machinery around the working areas. These impacts will be mitigated through a range of measures as appropriate. The mitigation options that will be used, where appropriate will include:

• Restricting the activities that can occur outside of normal working hours and choosing plant with lower noise emissions. 
• Erection of temporary noise barriers around equipment or activities where noise sensitive receptors lie close to the construction working area.
• Providing information to landowners, local residents and businesses about the project and details about construction activities and timings, particularly any night working.
• Use of plant that has low noise emission and consideration of screening around equipment to screen noise further.

The Proposed Project area passes through a number of key water catchments including in the Lower Shannon, the Barrow, the Boyne, the Liffey and Dublin Bay. Lough Derg is a key waterbody for the Proposed Project, and has been extensively modelled in terms of both water quality and hydrology as part of the environmental reporting for the statutory consenting process. Visual inspection and sampling of other water bodies have been undertaken at key locations along the pipeline route, including each of the key infrastructure sites, all relevant watercourse crossings, and washout locations. 

Potential effects may arise from the set up of the construction compounds and along the pipeline construction working area. Where potential impacts are identified, a number of proposed mitigation measures will be implemented as appropriate. These will include:

• Applying buffer strips around watercourses and avoiding in-channel working where practicable.
• Using good practice measures during construction to control, treat and attenuate silt-laden runoff and water from dewatering activities and temporary site drainage and drip trays under plant.
• Programming in-channel working during times of low flow where practicable.
• Monitoring of water quality during construction and having a management plan that sets out appropriate mitigation measures should any deterioration in water quality be detected.
• Having a management plan that sets out appropriate mitigation measures should a flood event occur during construction
• Agreeing methodology for discharges with the relevant authorities and by following appropriate guidelines, where available, such as those from Inland Fisheries Ireland.

A desk-top review and comprehensive range of field surveys has commenced and will continue to inform the EIAR. These include ground investigations, water level monitoring and well surveys. 

Proposed mitigation that is being considered includes: 

• Good practice measures for soil stripping, handling, storage and reinstatement, including separating topsoil and subsoil, avoiding double handling of soil, appropriate design and protection of soil stockpiles to reduce surface water build up / run off and compaction.
• Only undertaking soil stripping and reinstatement during suitable weather condition.

The key potential impacts on air quality in the project area comes from the construction phase where dust emissions could impact people, property and businesses in proximity to construction activities along the pipe route and at the infrastructure sites, and from vehicle exhaust pollutant emissions impacting local air quality during the construction and operation phases. A dust management plan for the construction phase of the project to mitigate likely significant effects arising from fugitive dust emissions is among the proposed mitigation measures.

A desktop review of available data regarding landscape and visual resources has been undertaken. Desk studies have been backed up by extensive field surveys to understand the setting and context of the infrastructure sites in particular, but also the pipeline route (noting that the pipeline route will be reinstated after installation of the pipeline).  A wide range of landscape and visual constraints, such as designated views and routes, plus views from settlements, roads and national walking routes has been identified.

The Proposed Project will result in potential landscape and visual impacts from construction and operation of the main infrastructure sites, construction and excavation of the pipeline, movement of traffic and machinery along site access points and haul roads, vegetation removal, and lighting. Proposed mitigation measures include:

• Where appropriate, applying recessive colour schemes to certain buildings at infrastructure sites.
• Trees and hedgerow planting at infrastructure sites to help mitigate visual impacts.
• Replacing or compensating for vegetation loss at infrastructure sites and along the route of the pipeline.
• Reinstating land uses above the pipeline insofar as is practical. 
• Re-establishing hedgerow networks that will be impacted due to the Pipeline with replacement planting as close to the original hedgerow alignment as possible.

Desk studies and archaeological field inspections have been undertaken to identify sites of archaeological, architectural and cultural heritage significance along the route of the Proposed Project in addition to sites already known and nationally registered. Extensive work has been completed to identify potential. As a result of the options assessment, there are no sites or structures subject to statutory protection located within the proposed infrastructure sites or pipeline corridor.

It is envisaged that there will be some direct and indirect impacts where unknown sites of archaeological, architectural and cultural heritage significance are located within the Proposed Project boundary (which could be affected by ground disturbance) and on the setting of recorded cultural heritage sites located in the vicinity. There are not expected to be any direct or indirect impacts on archaeological, architectural or cultural heritage resources as a result of the Operational Phase of the Proposed Project as the pipeline will operate below ground level and the infrastructure sites will not affect the setting of recorded cultural heritage sites. 

Proposed mitigation that is being considered includes:

• Locating compound areas and other focus areas of construction activities away from cultural heritage sites where practicable.
• Pre-development archaeological underwater/wade assessments and archaeological testing. These will be carried out in advance of construction and under licence to the DHLGH. The results of the assessments may lead to additional mitigation. 
• Development of an Archaeological Code of Practice to be agreed with the National Monuments Service

This image provides a Project Consultation Roadmap which includes a summary of the main stages in the development of the Proposed Project and shows the link between this consultation and the submission of the Strategic Infrastructure Development planning application that is required to deliver the Proposed Project.

Uisce Éireann will consider the feedback received and use it to inform the finalisation of the design and accompanying environmental assessments in advance of submitting a Strategic Infrastructure Development planning application, Compulsory Purchase Order application and abstraction licence application which collectively are needed to secure consent to build and operate the Proposed Project.

Uisce Éireann is asking stakeholders and all interested parties to provide feedback on the Proposed Project in advance of the planning application being submitted to An Bord Pleanála later this year.

How can I get involved?

The purpose of the consultation is to provide an opportunity to give feedback on the proposed Water Supply Project Eastern and Midlands Region. The public consultation will run for a minimum of eight weeks. 

To make a submission please send it to us by email, feedback form or post by 4 March 2025. Stakeholders can use the following questions to guide their feedback. However, this is just an aide, and all relevant submissions received in response to the consultation will be considered. 

We will also host two public information webinars on the proposed Water Supply Project during the consultation period. You can register for these events by visiting www.water.ie or contact the project team for details.

Consultation Questions:

(i) What are your thoughts on the potential benefits of the Proposed Project? 

(ii) Do you have any feedback on the key infrastructure components of the Proposed Project, such as the water intake and pumping station, pipelines, water treatment plant, storage reservoir, booster pumping station and break pressure tank?

(iii) What are your views on the proposed construction approach, including the use of identified roads for construction traffic, and the locations of temporary storage and working areas?

(iv) Can you provide any comments on the potential environmental impacts of the Proposed Project and the measures proposed to mitigate these impacts?

(v) Are there any additional comments you would like to share regarding the Proposed Project?

To make a submission please use the following contact details:

Email: watersupply@water.ie 
Postal Address:  Water Supply Project, PO Box 13748, Dublin 16
LoCall: 01 2027770

Project Website: www.water.ie/watersupplyproject 

There are approximately 500 landowners along the route of the Proposed Project. Engagement has been ongoing with these landowners since 2016. This has primarily been undertaken via four Landowner Liaison Officers (LLOs) who have been advising landowners on the progress of route development and technical design and arranging access for environmental surveys and ground investigation surveys. 

The LLOs provide landowners with a dedicated point of contact throughout the planning phase, through construction, and reinstatement. Regular consultation is also taking place with the main farming organisations. 

Construction of the overall Proposed Project will take up to 5 years. Individual parcels of land along the pipeline will disrupted for shorter periods during the overall construction duration. However, as the pipeline will be built in sections each landowner will typically be affected for between 18-24 months.

On completion of the Proposed Project, land will generally be reinstated to its pre-existing condition and use. This means the reinstatement of vegetation post-construction on a like for like basis wherever reasonably practicable. Linear features will also be reinstated, including hedgerows and fence lines. 

Some planting will be restricted over the permanent wayleave, as roots of large trees could damage the pipe. Therefore, larger species of trees will not be reinstated above the pipeline. 

Uisce Éireann’s preferred approach is to acquire land and wayleaves by voluntary agreement and a “Wayleave Package” will be offered to landowners affected by the Project pipeline for acceptance on a voluntary basis in advance of the submission of the Planning Application and Compulsory Purchase Order. 

Where requests have been received from affected landowners to have the pipeline route amended, these have been accepted where it is technically feasible, has no adverse environmental impact and is acceptable to any other impacted landowners. 

A wayleave is a right enjoyed over the lands of another for a particular purpose. In the case of Uisce Éireann, the right being acquired from a landowner is the right to lay, operate and maintain a water pipeline and any other ancillary infrastructure connected with the pipeline. A wayleave is essential for Uisce Éireann to be able to operate and maintain the Project over its lifetime and also restricts activities that could damage the pipeline and disrupt supply. 

The Permanent Wayleave proposed in the project is land where Uisce Éireann will retain rights of access for inspection, operation, maintenance and repair of the Raw Water Rising Mains, Treated Water Pipeline and associated infrastructure. Certain restrictions will apply to the Permanent Wayleave, such as limiting development and restricting tree planting which could damage the pipeline and disrupt supply.  

The Permanent Wayleave associated with the Raw Water Rising Mains, and Treated Water Pipeline is typically 20m in width and is normally positioned centered on the pipeline.  

There will also be permanent wayleaves associated with connections from the wash out valves to permanent outfall locations. These will be approximately 10m in width, normally centred above the connection pipe.

Acquisition of land will be required for the Raw Water Intake & Pumping Station at Parteen Basin, Water Treatment Plant near Birdhill, Break Pressure Tank near Cloughjordan, Booster Pumping Station near Birr, Flow Control Valve in Kildare and Termination Point Reservoir at Peamount, and where permanent access roads to these locations are also required. In addition, the acquisition of land will also be required for lay-bys adjacent to Line Valve locations and for a small number of line valves where the ground needs to be raised. 

Uisce Éireann proposes to establish a “Community Gain Fund‟ with a view to supporting community-based initiatives along the route, which meet specific criteria agreed with the affected Local Authorities.

Uisce Éireann will provide An Bord Pleanála with a realistic, specific, measurable community gain proposal(s), with an associated administrative structure, which the Board can adequately assess, and consider as part of the overall planning application. We are currently in discussions with all the Local Authorities along the route about what may be included.

The purpose of community gain fund is a goodwill contribution for the benefit of the communities affected by the Proposed Project in order to help alleviate the effect from the construction and siting of a major piece of infrastructure.

Community gain can take many forms including financial assistance for projects or initiatives, new or improved community amenities, education, volunteering and benefit-in-kind donations and social causes. 

All relevant submissions on the Proposed Project are welcomed and will be carefully considered. After the consultation period is finished, feedback received will be compiled within a Consultation Submissions Report which will be available on the project website (www.water.ie/watersupplyproject) 

The relevant feedback received by Uisce Éireann in response to this consultation will be used to inform the preparation of the documentation which will be submitted as part of the planning application. The intention is that the Strategic Infrastructure Development planning application and Compulsory Purchase Order application will be submitted to An Bord Pleanála in 2025. This will include all plans, particulars, supporting reports, EIAR, NIS and WFD assessment.