Summer of waterworks ahead for Laois home of the 'Scarecrow'

Durrow is being promised a more reliable water supply as part of a significant project to upgrade pipes which will run for most of the summer in the Laois town.

Uisce Éireann / Irish Water says that working in partnership with Laois County Council, work will start on Monday,12 June to replace about 1.5km of aged water mains with new modern pipes along the R434 Swan Road (Ballincolla Road) going north to the junction with New Line and will continue onto New Line road.

The State-owned company says that when completed, the upgrade will provide a more reliable water supply and reduce the amount of treated drinking water lost to leakage. A statement said the works are a critical step in conserving water and reducing high levels of leaks which have been a significant source of disruption for customers. 

Programme Manager, for Uisce Éireann’s National Leakage Reduction Programme, Joe Carroll is looking forward to getting crews on site.

“Old and damaged water mains remain a huge source of leakage and continue to impact communities right across Ireland, causing low pressure and supply disruption. Replacing these old water mains in poor condition will eliminate existing leaks and significantly reduce the amount of clean drinking water lost into the ground.

“The delivery of these essential works will help provide a safer, more secure water supply for Durrow, by minimising the frequency of bursts and improving the resilience of the network.

“We would like to thank the community in Durrow in advance for their patience and cooperation during the works, we know based on previous experiences that the short-term inconvenience will be overshadowed by the lasting benefits,” he said.

Where water mains are being installed, traffic management will be in place however local and emergency access will always be maintained. 

The works may involve some short-term water interruptions and the project team will ensure that customers are given a minimum of 48 hours’ notice prior to any planned water interruptions.  

The project is being carried out by Ward & Burke Construction Ltd. on behalf of Uisce Éireann and is due to be completed by the end of August 2023. 

Delight at success of charity open day at billionaire's mansion in Laois

Uisce Éireann’s 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 or set your location on our website www.water.ie

Uisce Éireann is responsible for delivering public drinking water and wastewater services for the people of Ireland.