Uisce Éireann has announced a further significant investment of €30 million in the Leixlip Water Treatment Plant (WTP), marking the third phase of upgrades aimed at bolstering the water supply for residents and businesses in Kildare and the wider Greater Dublin Area (GDA).

This latest funding injection will support enhancements designed to increase the resilience of Ireland's second largest water treatment facility. Upon completion, the upgrade is projected to add an additional 63 million litres of treated water per day to Uisce Éireann's network, ensuring a more secure water supply for over 620,000 people across the GDA.

Ian O'Neill, Portfolio Manager with Uisce Éireann, welcomed the investment, stating: "This is a good news story for families and businesses in the Greater Dublin Area, including parts of Kildare. The combined upgrades will improve the security of water supply for over 620,000 people."

Mr O'Neill further emphasised the strategic importance of the project: "This upgrade will play a key role in supporting housing and industry. It will also help futureproof our water supplies as we face challenges that are likely to be presented by factors such as population growth, climate change, and prolonged periods of warm, dry weather."

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Phase 3 of the upgrade is scheduled to take three years and will encompass improvements to the plant's filters and clarifiers, the installation of a new flocculation tank, the replacement of raw water pumps, and other essential enabling works. Uisce Éireann has confirmed that all works will be carried out within the plant's confines, thereby minimising disruption to the local community. Strategic planning is in place to ensure no water outages are expected during the project's duration, with completion anticipated by 2027.

Aoife Grogan, Project Manager at Uisce Éireann, commented on the broader impact of the investment: "This project is one of several critical investments to deliver transformative water services across the GDA, providing a more robust, resilient water supply to meet current and future demands."

The initial phase of the Leixlip WTP upgrade commenced in June 2018 and focused on modernising existing infrastructure to enhance drinking water quality, reliability, and overall resilience. These improvements were instrumental in reducing the risk of boil water notices and ultimately led to the removal of the Leixlip Water Supply Scheme from the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Remedial Action List (RAL).

The second phase involved a €20 million investment dedicated to upgrading coagulation, flocculation, clarification, and filtration processes, alongside enhancements to pH control. This phase is currently nearing completion.

The announcement comes at a time when demand for treated water across the Greater Dublin Area has reached record levels this year, placing significant pressure on water supplies serving communities in Dublin, Kildare, Wicklow, and Meath.

In response to this increasing demand, Uisce Éireann has implemented several initiatives, including the ongoing Leakage Reduction Programme and various water conservation measures, in addition to these crucial capital upgrades to water infrastructure. The longer-term strategy to address water supply challenges in the region includes the development of a new water source from the Lower Shannon, which is being progressed as part of the Water Supply Project Eastern & Midlands Region.