Kealkill to benefit from major water mains upgrade

Uisce Éireann, working in partnership with Cork County Council, is replacing aged water mains in Kealkill. As part of Uisce Éireann’s National Leakage Reduction Programme, works to replace approximately 2100 metres of water mains have commenced along the R585 Kealkill to Bantry road.

The community in Kealkill can look forward to a more reliable water supply. When complete, this project will reduce the instances of bursts and water outages for customers in the area. This significant project 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. 

Programme Manager for Uisce Éireann’s National Leakage Reduction Programme, Jack Cronin, is thrilled for this important project to begin.
“This essential work is part of a significant investment by Uisce Éireann to improve the water network across the country, prioritising investment where it is needed most and enabling these communities to thrive. We would like to thank customers in advance for their cooperation and patience while we complete these works.”

Works are ongoing between Kealkill Community Hall and Kealkill Water Treatment Plant. To deliver the works safely and efficiently temporary traffic lights are in place at the R585 for the duration of the works. To minimise disruption, works will be limited to short sections. Standard working hours are 7am to 7pm, Monday to Friday.  The works may require some short-term water interruptions, and the project team will ensure that customers are given a minimum of 48 hours’ notice prior to any planned interruptions. 

This project is being carried out by Ward and Burke Construction Ltd on behalf of Uisce Éireann and is anticipated to be complete by late summer.

This project is one example of how Uisce Éireann is working in partnership with Local Authorities to reduce leaks every day. Fixing leaks can be complicated. We have over 63,000 km of water pipes underground in Ireland – enough to circle the earth one and a half times. 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 2022 it was 37%. We are on track to achieve a national leakage rate of 25% by the end of 2030.

The Uisce Éireann customer care helpline is open 24/7 on 1800 278 278 and customers can also contact us on X @IWCare with any queries.
For more information on the national Leakage Reduction Programme, please visit here.

Uisce Éireann is responsible for delivering public drinking water and wastewater services for the people of Ireland. We are committed to enabling communities to thrive by continuously upgrading and developing critical infrastructure to support sustainable growth and development, providing safe drinking water, and enhancing the environment.