Construction work on the Barrow Extension project in Brannockstown, Kildare, is expected to commence soon.

David Civil Engineering is working in partnership with Irish Water to safeguard the drinking water supply for homes and businesses in Kildare and the wider Greater Dublin Area (GDA).

The delivery of the Barrow Extension project will help build resilience in the water distribution network by providing a strategic link between Srowland and Ballymore Eustace water treatment plants. Building resilience in the network is essential to ensure enough water is available to meet daily demand as well as to maintain supply during emergency situations such as drought conditions. Demand for water in the GDA is increasing steadily and the recent water conservation order (hosepipe ban) illustrates the current pressures on our water resources.

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The Barrow Extension project will provide an additional 18 million litres of drinking water per day from Srowland water treatment plant for communities in Kildare and the wider GDA. This is the equivalent of the average daily water consumption of 140,000 people.

To further support the water supply in the GDA, Irish Water has replaced almost 100km of water mains in the GDA since 2018 as part of its national Leakage Reduction Programme, the equivalent of two M50s. Irish Water is upgrading the Vartry Water Supply Scheme with the construction of a new treatment plant in Vartry and an upgrade of Stillorgan reservoir. Works are also progressing to upgrade the Leixlip Water Treatment Plant, which supplies over 600,000 customers in Kildare, Dublin and Meath.

John O'Donoghue, Regional Operations Manager for Irish Water, said: "Irish Water and our Local Authority partners are working together to safeguard the water supply for homes and businesses in Kildare and the wider Greater Dublin Area. The Barrow Extension Project will facilitate an increase of 18 million litres of drinking water per day in Kildare and the GDA which is critical for the provision of a secure, reliable and sustainable long-term water supply for the region for future decades and generations."

The project will involve the construction of 3km of new water mains between Killashee and Naas, via the Rathasker Road; two new pumping stations at Brannockstown and Carnalway; and upgrades to the pipework at Ballymore Eustace Water Treatment Plant and Old Kilcullen Reservoir. The project is scheduled for completion in 2021.