Uisce Éireann crews continuing to work across Co. Westmeath to restore water supplies

Uisce Éireann is working to maintain supply across County Westmeath following Storm Éowyn. Water Services crews commenced restoration works when the status red weather warning was lifted. Our priority is the provision of clean safe drinking water to communities and the safety of water services staff who work to make that happen.

Storm Éowyn has led to power issues at a number of pumping stations across the County, in particular on the Mullingar Regional Water Supply which serves the communities of Mullingar Town and environs, Ballynacarrigy, Moyvore, Ballymore, Moate, Rathowen, Streete, Rathconrath, Killucan, Coralstown, Kinnegad, Milltownpass, Tyrrellspass, Kilbeggan, Ballinagore, Gaybrook and Horseleap.  

Alan Farrell, Water Operations Lead with Uisce Éireann said, “This is an unprecedented storm event following which we are still assessing the full extent of the disruption to supplies. We are working closely with the ESB to return power to key water services sites as quickly as possible. We are appealing to customers on the Mullingar Regional Supply to make every effort to conserve water in order to protect supply.”

There are some simple steps people can take to conserve their water. To learn more, visit www.water.ie/conserve. 

Vulnerable customers who have registered with Uisce Éireann receive direct communications from us for planned and unplanned outages lasting more than four hours. As per best practice, most homes and businesses will have on-site water storage to provide a backup source of water for sanitation purposes. 

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 updates please visit the Water Supply Updates section. 

Uisce Éireann has launched a free text service, providing real-time updates for local issues. Customers can sign up with their Eircode and mobile number at the text alerts page. 

Uisce Éireann crews are on the ground across Westmeath continuing work to restore water supplies.

Power outages at pumping stations across the network continue to impact on supplies across the county this afternoon. Supply challenges are being felt in areas fed from the Mullingar Regional Water supply, including,

• Gaybrook, Gainestown, Enniscoffey, Knockaville, Coralstown, Kinnegad, Killucan, Rathwire, Thomastown, Castletown Geoghan, Kilpatrick and Bunbrosna.

Alternative water supplies are currently available at the following locations:

• Milltownpass at the Mullingar Road junction
• Gainestown School car park
• Adamstown, Castletown

Customers are reminded to use their own containers when taking water from tankers and to boil water before consumption as a precautionary measure.

In the North of the county customers may be experiencing low water pressure in Archerstown, Mulliganstown, Castlepollard, Delvin, Whitehall, Drumacree, Raharney, Mabestown and Coole.

We continue to actively source and transfer generators to sites where power has not been restored. We are co-ordinating closely with the ESB to prioritise power restoration and we are also liaising with other agencies including the National Emergency Co-ordination Group and local authorities.

Nationally, approximately 109,000 people across the country have no water this afternoon following Storm Éowyn. An additional 112,000 people are now being supplied by schemes where generators have been deployed by Uisce Éireann crews. Supplies for a further 126,000 people are at risk in areas where power is yet to be restored.

The impacts initially nationwide are more localised now with the East and South most improved. Areas most impacted are along the West Coast and Midlands and include Galway, Mayo, Clare, Cavan, Monaghan, Westmeath, Donegal and Longford. Updates on local supplies issues are being provided on our website, as they become available.

Head of Water Operations at Uisce Éireann, Margaret Attridge noted that while positive progress had been made overnight, the number of people experiencing loss of supply due to power outages remains significant.

“This unprecedented storm event has had a severe impact on our water and wastewater network nationwide. Our crews are on the ground in all impacted areas working to restore water services as quickly as possible, but given the extent of the damage to the power network, it may take some time before full service is restored everywhere. We apologise to customers who have been without water for a few days and ask for the public’s continued patience during this challenging time, some customers are also operating with restricted service as treated water storage reservoirs and networks recharge.

“In locations where water supplies have been impacted for longer periods, we are deploying alternative water supplies. Details of these supplies and their locations are being posted across our website and social media channels as they become available,” she added.

Margaret is also urging customers to conserve water where possible in order to protect supply while the outages are resolved. There are some simple steps people can take to conserve their water, such as avoiding the use of water-intensive appliances during this time.

There are some simple steps people can take to conserve their water. To learn more, visit www.water.ie/conserve.

Vulnerable customers who have registered with Uisce Éireann receive direct communications from us for planned and unplanned outages lasting more than four hours. As per best practice, most homes and businesses will have on-site water storage to provide a backup source of water for sanitation purposes.

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 updates please visit the Water Supply Updates section.

Uisce Éireann has launched a free text service, providing real-time updates for local issues. Customers can sign up with their Eircode and mobile number at the text alerts page.