GMC Utilities Group Limited awarded the contract for the replacement and rehabilitation of 9.4 km of aging watermains in Dundalk Town.
12/05/16
Investment of €3.4 million in the water infrastructure in County Louth
Irish Water, working in partnership with Louth County Council, has confirmed it will invest €3.4 million in the water infrastructure in County Louth. The investment includes the replacement and rehabilitation of 9.4 km of aging water mains in Dundalk Town and the surrounding environs. The contract for the works was signed on Friday, 6 May 2016 with GMC Utilities Group Limited. The works are scheduled to commence in June and will take approximately 18 months to complete.
This investment will improve the water supply for customers, by reducing leakage by approximately 215m3 of water per day. This project will involve the replacement of old water mains that are prone to leakage and regular bursts which can cause interruptions to supply. Every effort will be made to minimise impact on residents, businesses and road users. However, short-term water shut offs for a number of hours over a day or two in each area will be required where pipes are being connected to the system. The project team will ensure that householders and businesses are advised of any works in their area in advance and will be given a minimum of 48 hours prior notice of any planned water shut offs.
Commenting on the investment Padraig Hanly, Irish Water’s, Water Network and Rehabilitation Programmes Regional Lead for the East Midlands Region said “This investment will greatly improve the water infrastructure for residents and business owners in Dundalk and the surrounding areas. The replacement of these aging water mains that are prone to frequent bursts will improve the security of supply to customers and will also ensure that the existing and future residential and commercial development needs of the town are served. Irish Water is committed to reducing network leakage to less than 38% by 2021 and this investment will help us to meet this target”.
Irish Water invested €340 million in improving water and wastewater services in 2014 and over €363 million during 2015. Irish Water plans to spend €532 million on water services in 2016. Capital investment in the region of €700 million per year is required for a sustained period of several decades to address the acknowledged deficiencies in the country’s water infrastructure. Works have been prioritised to address the most critical issues in line with commitments outlined in Irish Water’s recently published Business Plan. Delivery of the business plan will involve a €5.5bn investment in capital spending on drinking water and wastewater quality and capacity and new infrastructure up to 2021.