Uisce Éireann, the utility company responsible for water supplies in Dublin, has issued a warning about possible disruptions in the coming week. Residences and businesses across Dublin, and in parts of Wicklow and Kildare, may be affected. The warning is due to a critical repair operation being conducted on a major water main. The pipeline that’s 25km long and as tall as an average person, transports 220 million litres per day, catering to a third of the Greater Dublin Area’s water needs.
A technological survey recently highlighted defects in the pipe, prompting Uisce Éireann to schedule the repair in an effort to prevent a potentially catastrophic burst that would disrupt the Greater Dublin network. The pipe needing repair connects the Saggart reservoir, located in the southwest of Dublin, to the Ballymore Eustace Water Treatment Plant, which is the largest source for drinking water in Ireland.
On Tuesday and Wednesday, the 13th and 14th of August, people in Kildare and certain areas of Wicklow may experience interrupted water services, which could be manifested as low pressure, discoloured water or even no water at all.
Given the huge volume of water this pipe can transport – approximately the amount held by 80 Olympic swimming pools daily, a burst pipe could impact up to 1.7 million people and take weeks to repair. Due to the age, size and location of the pipe, the required repair works are quite intricate as stated by Mark O’Duffy of Uisce Éireann.
Despite the assurance by specialist teams to expedite repairs, there might still be unforeseen disruptions during and post work. Mr O’Duffy therefore called for conservation of water by consumers in the Greater Dublin Area to ensure the maintenance of supply during repair operations.