Uisce Éireann has announced that flushing works are set to take place in the Douglas area of Cork City.

The works which are taking place on 29 February and 1 March will address increased reports of discolouration.

Flushing clears sediment from old pipes to reduce water discoloration, but it can temporarily increase discoloured water reaching customers' taps.

Areas potentially impacted with this round of flushing include Half Moon Lane, Westview, Kilcolman Lawn, Palaceanne Lawn, Palaceanne Court, Hawthorn Villas, Glen View, Woodlawn and surrounding areas.

Ongoing testing and analysis of the water supply continues, in conjunction with extensive monitoring across the city’s water network to ensure the water is compliant with drinking water regulations and is safe to drink. The results of these ongoing tests are shared with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Health Service Executive (HSE).

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Water Operations Lead for Uisce Éireann, Sean Lynch said: "Our goal is to minimise the instances of discolouration for the people of Cork City. Discolouration has existed in Cork City for some time and has been a feature of the Cork City network at low levels long before the establishment of Irish Water (now Uisce Éireann). We acknowledge that the frequency of discolouration reports has increased over the past 18 months, and this is not meeting the standard that customers expect. This can be attributed to a number of factors including the continued upgrading and investment in plants and pipework across the city and most recently an increase in leaks caused by bursts due to freezing weather. Given that approximately 50% of the water network in the city is old cast iron mains, it will take an investment of approximately half a billion euro over several investment cycles to replace the city’s network."