Uisce Éireann making progress in effort to restore water supplies in Westmeath

Uisce Éireann says that it is making progress restoring water supply to Westmeath customers after many of the county’s reservoirs and pumping stations lost power during Storm Éowyn.

Power has been restored at many of these locations with Uisce Éireann running the remaining sites on generators.

Uisce Éireann’s Regional Manager Jim Fitzgerald explained that the majority of customers affected in Westmeath have seen their supply return with crews on the ground working to deploy generators where power has not returned.

There was no power impact at the Portloman water treatment plant, the county’s largest water treatment plant serving almost 50,000 people. However, many rural reservoirs and pumping stations across the Mullingar Regional Supply were impacted.

“While Mullingar town did not lose water supply, generators were deployed to the Gaybrook reservoir, Tallyho and Shandonagh pumping stations as they remain without power. This has ensured a return of water supply to customers in Gaybrook, Gainestown, Enniscoffey, Milltownpass, Knockaville, Coralstown, Kinnegad, Killucan, Rathwire, Thomastown, Castletown Geoghan, Kilpatrick and Bunbrosna," Mr Fitzgerald said.

Customers in Rathconrath and surrounding areas will see supply return this morning.

In the north of the county a generator was sourced ahead of the storm and deployed to the water treatment plant in Ballany Friday morning where there was no power. This prevented widespread interruption to homes and businesses. Production at the plant was impacted by raw water quality issues following the storm meaning reservoir levels did drop causing lower than normal water pressure. Similarly, power did impact peripheral pumping stations across this network which are now resolved.

Customers across Archerstown, Mulliganstown, Castlepollard, Delvin, Whitehall, Drumacree, Raharney, Mabestown and Coole should now have normal supply.

Meanwhile, crews are working to repair a burst water main affecting supply for customers in the Ballinagore area. Crews have been on site since early morning working to restore supply as quickly as possible.

Mr Fitzgerald said: “Our crews have been working in challenging conditions to restore water to as many homes as possible and I’d like to thank them for their ongoing efforts. 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”.

“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. Following return of supply, it will take some time for normal supply to fully be restored to all areas as the water refills the network, especially for those on higher ground or at the end of the network. We are asking customers in these areas to conserve water as supply returns to allow local reservoirs to refill."

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

Alternative water supplies will remain in place in Milltownpass at the Mullingar Road junction, Gainestown School carpark, Coralstown church and Rathconrath.

Customers can stay informed about their local water supply by visiting www.water.ie, via Uisce Éireann’s X feed, @IWCare, or by signing up for our free text alert service via the website. Alternatively get in touch via our 24/7 customer care centre at 1800 278 278.