Good news for Howth as upgrades to the water supply set to begin

2km of old and damaged water mains to be replaced.

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

These projects are being delivered as part of Uisce Éireann's national Leakage Reduction Programme which continues to deliver significant benefits to communities across Ireland, including improved water quality, a more secure water supply, and considerable water savings.

Working in partnership with Fingal County Council, Uisce Éireann is replacing almost 2km of old and damaged water mains along Carrickbrack Road (R105), between St. Fintan's Road junction and Old Carrickbrack Road. Further upgrades will also take place along Ceanchor Road.

The works will also involve the decommissioning of ageing back yard water mains which will be replaced with new individual service connections to customers properties. Backyard water mains are typically made of cast iron or lead and are usually shared, with leaks and bursts impacting all connected properties.

Replacing these old, damaged pipes with new, modern pipework will improve water quality and supply as well reducing disruptions including low-pressure and outages.

Highlighting the importance of these upgrades, Matt Thomson, Infrastructure Delivery Programme Manager at Uisce Éireann said, "We are delighted to announce this major investment for the people of Howth. Replacing these old and damaged cast-iron water mains is a first step in tackling low water pressure, bursts, 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 will also deliver a much more reliable water supply as well as improved water quality for current and future generations."

Matt added, "On behalf of Uisce Éireann, I would like to thank the local community in advance for their patience and cooperation as traffic management will be necessary. However, based on previous experiences, we know that the short-term inconvenience will be overshadowed by the long-term benefits."

To facilitate the safe delivery of the works, a full road closure will be in place on Ceanchor Road from late-September to early-November however, local and emergency access will be maintained at all times. Traffic management in the form of a stop/go system will be in place on Carrickbrack Road (R105) between St. Fintan's Junction and Old Carrickbrack Road, between 8am and 6pm, Monday to Friday.

The works will be carried out on behalf of Uisce Éireann by GMC Utilities Group and are expected to be completed by early next year.

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 our National Leakage Reduction Programme page.

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 Water Supply 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.