Water quality in the County Louth town of Ardee is set to be significantly improved thanks to a new programme of works.

Old 'backyard' water mains are being replaced in Sliabh Breagh, along with the provision of new service connections. This project from Irish Water and Louth County Council will tackle high levels of leakage on the local network.

In some older properties in Sliabh Breagh water connections, typically made of iron or lead, were installed to the rear of properties and are often referred to as 'backyard' service connections. The condition of these backyard services has deteriorated over the years which has resulted in increased bursts and leaks, and reduced water pressure for some customers.

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The works involve the decommissioning of ageing back yard water mains and the construction of nearly 1.5km of new high density, polyethylene (plastic) water mains along the public road. The works will also involve laying new water service connections from the public water main in the road to customers' property boundaries and connecting it to the customer's water supply. Where the existing service connections on the public side are lead, these will be replaced as part of the improvement works.

To facilitate the safe delivery of these works, some traffic management will be in place, however, local and emergency access will be maintained at all times. The works may involve some short-term supply interruptions. The project team will ensure that customers are given a minimum of 48 hours' notice prior to any planned water interruptions.

GMC Utilities Ltd will begin work on the scheme at the end of November, with completion scheduled for early 2022.

Speaking about the project Matthew Thomson, Irish Water, said: "These upgrades are part of a significant investment by Irish Water to upgrade the water network in Louth. Replacing old, damaged pipes will reduce the instances of bursts and water outages and safeguard the water supply for homes and businesses now and into the future. We would like to thank the local community, for their patience and cooperation while we deliver this vital water network improvement project."