Work to start soon on major watermain replacement project in area of Athlone

Uisce Éireann has said work will get underway shortly on the replacement of over 450 meters of cast iron watermains in the Altown area of Garrycastle, Athlone.

The area has been affected by a number of water ourages over the years, and Uisce Éireann said the upcoming works "will provide a more secure and reliable water supply for the residents of Altown and will significantly reduce high levels of leakage on the network."

The works are being carried out by a contractor, Shareridge, on behalf of Uisce Éireann.

A statement this morning (Wednesday) said the works are due to commence "in early March" and are expected to be completed by the following month.

Uisce Éireann said the areas where work will be carried out will be limited to short sections at a time, in order to minimise the impact on customers.

A temporary stop/go traffic light system will be in place during the construction period, but local and emergency traffic access is due to be maintained throughout.

In addition to the watermain replacement, the project is to involve "laying new water service connections from the new public water main and connecting it to the customers’ water supply."

Programme Manager at Uisce Éireann, Dave Murphy, said: "The important of these works cannot be underestimated.

"Replacing these old, damaged pipes will significantly lower the instances of bursts and outages on the network, eliminate existing leaks and reduce the amount of clean water lost into the ground.

"The works will also improve the operation of the network reducing the need to manage frequent repairs of aging cast iron water mains resulting in a positive impact on leakage and the daily lives of the residents of Altown."

Uisce Éireann said it will be spending €250 million every year, up to the end of 2030, in order to fix leaks and replace pipes in an effort to provide a more reliable water supply.