Uisce Éireann meet with Meath councillors over ongoing water issues
Uisce Éireann met with Meath’s elected representatives yesterday in Meath County Council headquarters in Navan to discuss the recent supply issues in the south of the county.
There has been widespread frustration in several areas of the county including Trim, Ratoath and Ashbourne, due to the regular outages and water restrictions that residents have had to endure, which are also impacting on local businesses.
According to Uisce Éireann, their planned strategic projects to rectify the supply issues represent an investment of over €60 million and when completed, will provide a safe and reliable water supply for generations to come as well as enabling further social and economic development in areas that have already seen significant growth in recent years.
They have blamed the ageing water network, old infrastructure and lack of treated water reservoirs, for the supply disruptions experienced by customers particularly in Ratoath, Ashbourne and the surrounding areas following major bursts, unplanned outages and high demand.
They say the recent extreme weather further compounded these issues leading to an increase in bursts and high demand, necessitating night-time restrictions, adding that they regret the inconvenience caused to homes and businesses. They say unfortunately, bursts on these high-pressure water mains cause reservoir levels to deplete quickly and make it difficult to sustain production to meet demand.
During the meeting, senior Uisce Éireann water engineers outlined the progress already made on the new reservoir at Windmill Hill and the replacement of over 7km of aging pipeline which will be fully operational in the coming months.
Among the large attendance in Buvinda House and online were local TDs and councillors from across County Meath including Cathaoirleach of Meath, Councillor Tommy Reilly, and water services staff from Uisce Éireann and Meath County Council.
Uisce Éireann’s Water Operations Lead for Meath, Michael Cunniffe, said: “We recognise the inconvenience that these unplanned outages are having on the local community and are making every effort to address the challenges in Meath in the short, medium and long term through operational interventions and capital upgrades.
“Our priority at all times is the provision of a safe and secure drinking water supply to our customers right across Meath and we are committed to working together with our elected representatives for the benefit of our customers.”
Cathaoirleach of Meath, Councillor Tommy Reilly, added: “The importance of providing a secure water supply for towns across Meath cannot be underestimated. I welcome the hugely important delivery of these key projects for the county and the continued investment in water services by Uisce Eireann, in particular the recent investment of €17 million to replace the main water supply pipeline into Navan Town Centre from Proudstown Reservoir and the major infrastructure upgrade of Navan’s Water Treatment Plant at Liscarton. The disruptions we have experienced are well documented and I welcome the opportunity for the Elected Members to outline our concerns to Uisce Eireann.”
Uisce Éireann says it will continue to closely monitor the supply in Ashbourne, Ratoath, Kilbride and surrounding areas until the new reservoir and pipework is operational.
It has also outlined that there are a variety of channels through which customers can find information about their local water supply and get in touch with Uisce Éireann. To get localised updates, visit www.water.ie and enter your address or Eircode. Regular updates are also posted on social media on X (formerly Twitter) @IW_Care and Facebook. Uisce Éireann’s customer care helpline is also open 24/7 on 1800 278 278. Business customers can sign up to Uisce Éireann’s text alert system to receive updates on supply interruptions over four hours in duration at www.water.ie/business-updates. To register as a vulnerable customer or as an alternative contact, visit www.water.ie/vulnerablecustomer.