Kilkenny City Backyard Services

Uisce Éireann, in partnership with Kilkenny County Council, is replacing ageing back yard water mains and providing new service connections for customers in Kilkenny City to improve security of supply, improve water quality and reduce high levels of leakage.

In some older properties water connections, typically made of cast iron or lead, were installed to the rear of the property and are often referred to as backyard service connections. The pipework due to age and deteriorating condition are a significant source of leakage and reduced levels of service. Back yard services are usually shared, running through a number of neighbouring properties making it difficult to detect and repair leaks. Since all properties share a connection, leaks and bursts affect all properties usually resulting in low pressure.

All new service connections will be made with modern high-density polyethylene (HDPE) plastic pipes to ensure a safer, more reliable supply of water to customers in the area. These works will be carried out by Coffey Northumbrian Ltd in partnership with Kilkenny County Council on behalf of Uisce Éireann.

​A reliable water supply

• Replacing the ageing water mains and service connections will reduce the instances of bursts and water outages and will ensure a reliable supply of water to customers in the area

Reduced leaks

• Replacing the old water mains and service connections will eliminate existing leaks and reduce the amount of clean drinking water lost into the ground

Improved Water Quality

• Removing existing old cast iron and lead from the water network and replacing them with new plastic pipes will reduce the risk of contamination

Improved Operation and Maintenance

• These works will deliver cost savings by providing improved water network operation that will require less maintenance in the future

• The works involve decommissioning of approximately 3.6 kilometres of old cast iron back yard water mains
• 2.8 kilometres of new water mains will be constructed along the public road and new service connections will be installed from the new water main to each customer's property
• The works also involve decommissioning of further old back yard mains
• New water mains have already been constructed along the public road in these areas previously and therefore works only require new service connections to be installed from the new water main to each customer's property