Ward and Burke Construction have started work on a €10 million project to upgrade the Inistioge and Thomastown water supply schemes.

The project will target water quality and supply issues in the Inistioge area and will ultimately enable the removal of the Inistioge supply from the EPA's Remedial Action List. It will also enhance the supply and treatment capacity at Thomastown.

The Inistioge and Thomastown Water Supply Schemes currently operate independently, serving populations of 1,390 and 2,647 respectively. As part of this investment, it is proposed to link the two networks and supply the entire network from the Thomastown source. This will mean that the existing vulnerable source supplying Inistioge can be abandoned, thereby removing water quality issues that have led to that supply being included on the EPA's Remedial Action List.

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The project will also address the security of supply to Inistioge, whereby the source has had historical issues with drying out during dry spells.

The work is currently progressing and will take approximately 18 months to complete.

Cathaoirleach of Kilkenny County Council, Cllr David Fitzgerald, said: "This is a very welcome investment by Irish Water in Inistioge and Thomastown and it will bring significant improvements in the water supply for this area. Not only will it ensure that the community has access to a safe drinking water supply but it will also provide the resilience in the supply to support ongoing economic development in this area."

Lisa Cogan, Irish Water's Regional Infrastructure Lead, commented: "We are delighted to be moving forward with this much-needed project here in Thomastown and Inistioge. The project will address water quality and security of supply in the Inistioge network. As a result, residents, businesses and the agricultural community in Thomastown, Inistioge and the surrounding rural areas will benefit from improved drinking water quality, better security of supply and improved water pressure."

(CD/LM)