GMC Utilities has been appointed by Irish Water to replace old and problematic water mains in Blackrock, Dublin.

The project is being delivered as part of Irish Water's national Leakage Reduction Programme which is delivering significant benefits to local communities across Ireland including improved water quality, a more secure water supply and considerable water savings.

The project, which represents a significant investment by Irish Water, will begin on Monday 29 August and involves the replacement of over 150 meters of old and damaged, cast iron water mains with new modern pipes along Idrone Lane in Blackrock. Cast iron mains can, over time, become encrusted which can significantly impact water quality and pressure. Replacing these old, damaged pipes with new, modern pipework will greatly improve water quality and reduce the instances of bursts, outages and low-pressure affecting customers.

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Highlighting the importance of these upgrades, Matt Thomson, Leakage Reduction Programme Regional Lead with Irish Water, said: "We are delighted to announce this important investment in Blackrock. Replacing these old and damaged, cast-iron pipes is a first step in tackling water quality, pressure and leakage issues which have been affecting homes and businesses. The works will not only reduce the amount of drinking water lost to leakage, it will also significantly improve water quality for the local community as well as delivering a much more reliable supply for generations to come.

"On behalf of Irish Water, I'd like thank the local community in advance for their patience and cooperation as traffic management will be necessary as the project progresses, however, based on previous experience, we know that the short-term inconvenience will be overshadowed by the long-term benefits."

To minimise the impact on the local community, the project will be carried out in phases, with areas of work limited to short sections. Traffic management will be in place to ensure the health and safety of crews and will be communicated locally and signposted on approach.

The works 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. The works may involve some short-term supply interruptions which we understand may cause inconvenience, however, the project team will ensure that customers are given a minimum of 48 hours' notice prior to any planned water interruptions.

The project is being delivered on behalf of Irish Water by GMC Utilities Group and is expected to be completed by the end of September.