Uisce Éireann to repair 3.5km of damaged water mains in Dysart

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

The national Leakage Reduction Programme has now made its way to Dysart Village.

Working in partnership with Westmeath County Council, Uisce Éireann is replacing over 3.5km of old and damaged watermains in the village which will help provide a more secure water supply for current and future generations in the wider Westmeath communities of Ballinea, Castletown-Geoghan, Ballinagore, Kilbeggan, and Horseleap.

These communities will also benefit from a more reliable water supply following the completion of watermain renewal works in Ballinea (2km) and Spilt Hill to Coola Bridge, Killbeggan (2.5km).

The works which are now underway in Dysart Village will benefit customers by strengthening and reinforcing the water network, reducing leaks, and will also deliver cost savings by providing operational efficiencies that will require less maintenance into the future.

Highlighting the importance of these upgrades, Matt Thomson, Programme Manager at Uisce Éireann said: “We are delighted to announce another major investment for Westmeath. Replacing these old and damaged pipes represents a significant step in tackling bursts, low water pressure, and leakage issues which have been affecting homes and businesses.

“The water flows to these communities from the Portloman Water Treatment Plant, supplied by Lough Owel, and travels a long distance of up to 26km to reach Kilbeggan, through aged and problematic pipes that are prone to bursts. These pipes are now being replaced with state-of-the art watermains, improving the water network and reducing the number of bursts and interruptions to supply for the community.”

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

The works also involve laying new water service connections from the public water main in the road to customers’ property boundaries and connecting it to the customer’s water supply.

The project may involve some short-term supply interruptions which we understand may cause inconvenience, however, the project team will ensure that customers are given a minimum of 48 hours’ notice prior to any planned water interruptions.

To minimise the impact on the local community, works will be delivered on a phased basis with areas of work limited to short sections. This section of works will take place along the R391 adjacent to the church, and temporary traffic lights will be in place along the R391 for the duration of the works. The works will continue along the R391 in the direction of Mullingar up to the junction at the Ballymahon Road, outside of Ballinea.

Local and emergency traffic will be maintained at all times. The project is being carried out by GMC Utilities Group Ltd on behalf of Uisce Éireann and is expected to be completed by August of this year.

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 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. To find out more visit www.water.ie.