SERVICES
Tuesday, 27 July 2021 – Irish Water, working in partnership with Monaghan County Council, is replacing over 1.5km of problematic, old water mains in Killyconnigan, Monaghan town that were prone to frequent bursts and leakage and caused water supply disruptions for customers in the area. The old water mains are being replaced with new high density polyethylene (plastic) pipes.
Outlining the benefits of these essential works Declan Cawley, Irish Water, explained: “These works will benefit the local community in Killyconnigan by strengthening and reinforcing the water network, and minimising disruptions in their water supply by reducing leakage and unplanned outages when bursts occur on the existing main.
“Upon completion, there will be significant improvements in network performance and levels of customer service in this area in terms of efficiency and security of supply.”
It is planned that works will commence in August and will take place between the Rossmore Industrial Estate, Cortolvin Road and Park Road, Killconnigan, Monaghan town. The works are due to be completed by November and will be carried out by Farrans Construction Ltd on behalf of Irish Water.
This project is one example of how Irish Water is working in partnership with Local Authorities to provide a more reliable water supply and reduce leakage. Fixing leaks can be complicated but we are making progress. In 2018 the rate of leakage nationally was 46%, by the end of 2020 it was reduced to 40%. We are currently on course to achieve a national leakage rate of 38% by the end of 2021.
Declan added: “To facilitate the safe delivery of the works, there will be some traffic management in place however local and emergency access will be maintained at all times.
“The works may involve some short-term water outages and the project team will ensure that customers are given a minimum of 48 hours’ notice prior to any planned water outages. We understand that this type of work can be inconvenient and works crews will make every effort to minimise any disruption these necessary works cause.
“This mains replacement work is part of a significant investment by Irish Water to upgrade the water network in Monaghan and we would like to thank customers in advance for their cooperation and patience while we complete this essential job.”
Customers can phone Irish Water on 1800 278 278 if they have any questions about the project or check out the Water Supply Updates section of the Irish Water website for regular updates.
The National Leakage Reduction Programme helps provide a more reliable water supply to Irish communities by reducing high levels of leakage and improving water quality. Its delivery represents an investment of over €500 million between 2017 and the end of 2021 to reduce leakage and replace old pipes on the water network.
Irish Water continues to work at this time with our Local Authority partners, contractors and others to safeguard the health and well-being of both staff and the public and to ensure the continuity of critical drinking water and wastewater services. Irish Water would like to remind people to follow the current HSE COVID-19 advice and ensure frequent handwashing.
For more information on reducing leaks visit our national Leakage Reduction Programme page on www.water.ie.