Greater Dublin pipeline repair work ‘half-way’ complete

Uisce Éireann has said it is “over half-way through” repairs to a major pipeline that supplies the Greater Dublin Area.

The pipeline supplying one third of the region’s drinking water is at risk of failure and was turned off for 28 hours last night to enable the “critical and complex” repairs to take place, Uisce Éireann said.

The purpose of the work is to prevent a catastrophic failure that would lead to widescale outages and disturbance if the damaged watermains were left to rupture.

It said specialist repair and excavation crews are working to fix five leaks and replace 35 metres of damaged pipeline.

The team, it said, “has up to 28 hours to complete these critical works and refill the pipeline before the water levels become dangerously low”.

The Programme Manager at Uisce Éireann said the repair crews are preparing to excavate a damaged section of pipeline using cranes.

Declan Healy said work will then commence to lay new pipe sections.

The work will continue into the early hours of tomorrow morning.

Uisce Éireann reiterated its call for those in the greater Dublin area, which includes parts of Co Wicklow and Co Kildare, to use water only when necessary to help maintain supply during the repair works.

It said people can conserve water by avoiding washing a car, taking shorter showers, and ensuring dishwasher and washing machines are fully loaded.

However, Mr Healy said there is “a risk” that customers in Dublin and parts of Co Kildare and Co Wicklow may experience interruptions to their supply, including low pressure, discoloured water or water outages.