Crews are in full flow across Monaghan

03 May 2024

The campaign to drive down leakage in Co Monaghan is continuing apace as Uisce Éireann crews arrived in Castleblayney this week. 

Uisce Éireann is improving the water supply to homes and businesses with work to replace backyard service connection now underway in Black Island View and Beech Drive. 

Backyard services are found in older areas, often installed to the rear of a customer’s property and typically made of cast iron or lead. Due to the age and deteriorating condition of the pipework, they can be a significant source of leakage and supply disruption for customers. Backyard services are usually shared, running through a number of neighbouring properties, making it difficult to detect and repair leaks. Where properties share a connection, leaks and bursts affect all connected properties, resulting in low pressure and/or outages. 

Working in partnership with Monaghan County Council, we are replacing backyard service connections in both Black Island View and Beech Drive to provide a more reliable water supply, improve water quality and reduce the amount of treated drinking water lost to leakage. 

Elsewhere in the county, works were recently completed in Devin Reilly Terrace and St Macartans Terrace, Tirkeenan, where 900 meters of backyard services were replaced.

These two projects in Monaghan, carried out by Farrans Construction, have been prioritised as part of Uisce Éireann’s national Leakage Reduction Programme which is delivering a more secure and reliable water supply to communities right across Ireland.

Uisce Éireann would like to thank all customers in these areas who have engaged with us and assisted us in the provision of our backyard services programme which will not only result in significant water savings but will also reduce the number of bursts and outages impacting customers. These projects are only successful if all customers on a shared water connection support and facilitate these vital works so that the old and leaking mains can be decommissioned. 

Speaking about the benefits of the project, Uisce Éireann’s Patricia Lowry, said: “Aged backyard service connections contribute significantly to water leakage and quality issues, impacting communities across Ireland with low pressure and supply disruptions. The replacement of these deteriorating water mains and service connections will eliminate existing leaks and substantially reduce the loss of clean drinking water. We extend our gratitude to the residents of these communities in Monaghan for their cooperation in ensuring a more secure and reliable water supply for future generations.” 

Areas of works will be limited to short sections to minimise impact on customers. Traffic management will be in place where water mains are being constructed but the community can be assured that local and emergency traffic will be maintained at all times.  

The works may require some short-term water interruptions, but the project team will ensure that customers are given a minimum of 48 hours’ notice prior to any planned interruptions. 

“We understand that this type of work can cause inconvenience for the local community, but our crews will make every effort to minimise any disruptions,” added Patricia.

This project forms part of Uisce Éireann’s national Leakage Reduction Programme and will help us achieve our 2030 goal of a national leakage rate of 25%. The National Leakage Reduction team has made great strides since 2018 when the leakage rate stood at 46%. 

Since 2018, Uisce Éireann has invested more than €500 million to upgrade the underground water network across the country through the delivery of the national Leakage Reduction Programme. We are investing a further €250 million every year up to the end of 2030 - fixing leaks and replacing pipes to provide a more reliable water supply. For more information, please visit our National Leakage Reduction Programme page.