Clean drinking water is 'critical' for Laois town, says Irish Water

A Laois town is about to receive an upgrade which will deliver a more secure and reliable water supply for the community.  

The water pipes serving Mountmellick have deteriorated with age, with pipes beneath three busy roads set to be replaced.

Uisce Éireann has announced that crews will arrive at the beginning of June as they bring with them the promise of a more secure and reliable water supply. 

The works will take place along the R422 along Parnell Street, between Pearse Street and Connolly Street and involve the replacement of nearly 400m of cast iron and aged watermains prone to bursts as part of Uisce Éireann’s National Leakage Reduction Programme.  

Traffic management will be in place at this time, in the form of traffic lights and lane closure.

The lane closure will be in effect from 09 June and will complete ahead of autumn, along the R422, Parnell Street, between Pearse Street and Connolly Street. 

Changes to Townlink bus services have been announced, which can be viewed here.

Dave Murphy, Uisce Éireann Programme Manager, is looking forward to getting this project underway for the Mountmellick community. 

“We are delighted to be prioritising investment in Laois’ water network," Mr Murphy said.

"The section of watermains in Mountmellick needs replacement due to its age and deteriorating condition. Our crews will work diligently to complete these works as quickly as possible, with minimal impact on the community. 

"With our current climate, we cannot underestimate the value of clean drinking water, which is why these works are critical. This project will guarantee a more reliable water supply, an improvement to water quality, improve operation and maintenance of the water network, reducing the amount of water lost into the ground due to leaks," he finished.

Pictured: Uisce Éireann's Leak Reduction Programme workers

Shareridge is carrying out the works on behalf of Uisce Éireann with the project expected to be complete ahead of autumn this year. 

Identifying and repairing these leaks will help Uisce Éireann to achieve their 2030 goal of a national leakage rate of 25%.

The national Leakage Reduction team has reduced the leakage rate from 46% in 2018. 

For more information on the Leakage Reduction Programme please visit www.water.ie/reducingleaks. Members of the public can report any leaks in the public water network by contacting Uisce Éireann at 1800 278 278 or online at Report a Leak. 

Uisce Éireann has launched a free text service, providing real-time updates for local issues. Customers can sign up with their Eircode and mobile number on the Water Service Updates page.