New storage reservoir for Longwood comes on stream

A new storage reservoir for treated drinking water on the site of the existing water treatment plant in Longwood has recently been completed by Uisce Éireann, representing an investment of approximately €1.7m in water infrastructure at the plant.

The new 500m³ storage reservoir will improve water supply to the Longwood area which supplies a population of approximately 1,244 people and will support social and economic development of the area in the future.

Noel Gibbons, Programme Manager, Infrastructure Delivery, Uisce Éireann, said: “This additional storage capacity will greatly benefit the local community by safeguarding the water supply and providing a safe, secure and sustainable source of drinking water to the Longwood area. It also ensures that the water treatment plant has sufficient storage capacity to meet increasing demands.”

In addition to the 500m³ capacity drinking water storage reservoir which has been integrated into the existing water supply, the design and construction at Longwood WTP has seen the replacement of the existing borehole pumps, a high-lift network pumping station, provision of a chlorine monitoring system, a de-chlorination chamber, as well as an emergency generator.

Solar PV panels have been installed on the roof of the storage reservoir which are designed to provide 10 per cent of the water treatment plant’s power requirements.

Uisce Éireann say landscaping and planting at the site have also delivered a biodiversity net gain in line with their sustainability targets. Associated site works included security fencing, upgraded site access roads and surface water drainage systems.

The commissioning of the new storage reservoir will be welcomed by local residents who have had to endure regular outages over recent years. It is one of several areas in south Meath along with Trim, Enfield and Ballivor where there have been issues with water supply in the last number of years.