A series of water main improvements are moving forward in Cork city ahead of completion later this year.

Irish Water's contractor Coffey Northumbrian began work on the project in the Turner's Cross area in November 2018. The work aims to replace 4.8km of old water mains that are leaking and more liable to bursts due to their age and poor condition.

The scheme will continue until November 2019 and forms part of the utility's national Leakage Reduction Programme.

The communities to benefit include O'Connell Avenue, Friars Road, Congress Road, Derrynane Road, Beaufort Park, Doyle Road, Evergreen Road, Father Mathew Road, Hollyville, Mercier Park, Murphy's Gardens, O'Connell Crescent, St. Anne's Park, St. Patrick's Road and Mountpleasant Avenue.

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The works involve the decommissioning of old cast iron water mains and associated lead service connections. New water mains are being constructed along the public roads and new service connections are being installed from the new water mains to individual properties. The service connections in these communities are predominantly made from lead. Lead is now a recognised health concern. As part of this improvement project the public side lead is being replaced.

To date, new water mains have been successfully installed on O'Connell Avenue, O'Connell Crescent, Doyle Road, Fr. Mathew Road, Friars Road, Derrynane Road, Congress Road, Mount Pleasant Avenue and Upper Friars Road. Service connections have been installed from the new water mains on O'Connell Avenue, O'Connell Crescent, Doyle Road, Fr. Mathew Road and Friars Road.

Reinstatement of the road surface on O'Connell Avenue is currently underway and is expected to be completed shortly. Service connections on Doyle's Road are also being completed, as are the crossings on Curragh Road at both ends of the Mercier Park loop.

(CM/MH)