Residents in the County Monaghan town of Ballybay are set to benefit from a new and improved water network.

Irish Water is working closely with Monaghan County Council to replace 525 metres of ageing water mains together with backyard service connections along O'Duffy Terrace. 

The works, which are due to begin this week, are a critical step in reducing high levels of leakage which have been a significant source of disruption and outages for customers.

Backyard services are found in older areas, often installed to the rear of a customer's property and typically made of cast iron or lead. Due to the age and deteriorating condition of the pipework, they are often a significant source of leakage and supply disruption for customers. Backyard services are usually shared, running through a number of neighbouring properties making it difficult to detect and repair leaks. Where properties share a connection, leaks and bursts affect all connected properties, resulting in low pressure and/or outages.

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Speaking about the benefits of the project, Declan Cawley, Leakage Reduction Programme Regional Lead with Irish Water, said: "Old backyard service connections are a huge source of leakage and water quality and continue to impact communities right across Ireland, causing low pressure and supply disruption. Replacing these old water mains and service connections in poor condition will eliminate existing leaks and significantly reduce the amount of clean drinking water lost into the ground. We would like to thank the residents in O'Duffy Terrace for facilitating these works and working with us to provide a more secure and reliable water supply for generations to come."

These works will be carried out by Farrans Construction in partnership with Monaghan County Council on behalf of Irish Water and are due to be completed in March 2023.