Backyard water works set for old homes in Laois town

Work is set to begin on the overhaul of the water connects to 25 households in Portarlington.

Irish Water says that working in partnership with Laois County Council is commencing a project on ageing backyard water mains and providing new service connections for customers in St Patrick’s Terrace wit the aim of improving water supply to the houses.

It says the work is essential and will provide a safer, more secure water supply for the town, by minimising the frequency of bursts and improving the resilience of the network.

Irish Water says the works which are due to begin next week, from October 10, will involve the decommissioning of ageing backyard water mains and the delivery of new water mains on the public road. New service connections for customers will also be provided.

The utility says that in some older estates across the country water connections, typically made of iron or lead, were installed to the rear of properties, often referred to as backyard service connections. The pipework due to age and deterioration factors can be a significant source of leakage, said the company.

Irish Water adds that backyard water services are usually shared, running through neighbouring properties making it difficult to detect and repair leaks. Since properties may share a connection, leaks and bursts can affect all properties in a neighbourhood which can result in low pressure. Irish Water says this project will strive to alleviate these issues for properties in St Patrick’s Terrace in Portarlington. 

Speaking about the project, Joe Carroll, Regional Delivery Lead said: “The first step in ensuring the delivery of this essential project required a survey of each property prior to the commencement of the works. This was to assess the current water connection arrangements in place and to also facilitate discussion on the best way to connect the new service connection to the customers’ homes.”

 “We would like to thank the local community in advance for their patience and cooperation while we deliver this essential water network improvement project,” he said.

The works, when they commence may involve some short-term water outages. Irish Water says the project team will ensure that customers are given a minimum of 48-hours’ notice prior to any planned water outages. Where water mains are being constructed traffic management may be in place during this time, but local and emergency traffic will be maintained at all times. 

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It says householders have been contacted directly by Ward & Burke Construction Ltd who are carrying out the works on behalf of Irish Water. The works are expected to be completed by the end of November. 

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The company says its National Leakage Reduction Programme helps provide a more reliable water supply to Irish communities by reducing high levels of leakage and improving water quality. Since 2018, its delivery represents an investment of over €500 million to upgrade the underground water network across the country through the delivery of the Leakage Reduction Programme. Irish Water is also investing a further €250 million annually up to the end of 2030 directed at fixing leaks and replacing pipes to provide a more reliable water supply.

Irish Water is responsible for the delivery of all public water and wastewater services in Ireland. We are committed to continuously upgrading and developing critical infrastructure to support the growth needed in housing and across our economy, while protecting the environment and safeguarding water supplies.