Contractors working on behalf of Uisce Éireann will carry out essential repair works on a key pipeline between Ballymore Eustace Water Treatment Plant and the Saggart Reservoir in County Kildare over the August Bank Holiday Weekend.

This pipeline supplies approximately one third of the Greater Dublin Area's drinking water.

Sections of the pipeline have been identified as being at risk of failure, and several leaks will also be repaired during this operation. The works are critical to preventing a prolonged outage in the future.

To complete the repairs, water supply will be shut off in Kill, Arthurstown, Rathmore, Athgoe, and Tipperkevin from 10pm on Friday, August 1, until 3am on Sunday, August 3. Alternative water supplies will be made available in these areas.

Regional Operations Manager at Uisce Éireann, Stephen Burke, said: "This major pipeline can only be shut down for up to 28 hours before the water storage levels become too low, which could lead to widespread supply disruption. Therefore, the specialist repair crews have a very tight deadline to finish the repairs and refill the pipeline with water. We will work through the day and night this weekend to complete these essential works as quickly and safely as possible.

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"We acknowledge the inconvenience caused by the interruptions to water supply and thank the communities in North Kildare for their patience and cooperation while we deliver these essential works."

Declan Healy, Programme Manager at Uisce Éireann, explained the complexity of the works: "We have extensively planned and prepared for carrying out these complex works over the last nine months.

"Specialist teams will repair five leaks and replace a damaged section of pipeline. To do this, the water flowing through the pipe will be turned off temporarily and the pipeline will be drained.

"Draining the pipe will allow specialist crews will go inside the pipeline to repair five active leaks using bespoke methods. Another specialist team will remove 35 metres of degraded pipeline and install a new section of pipeline."

Customers in other parts of Kildare may experience low pressure, discoloured water or temporary outages during the works. Uisce Éireann is also requesting that customers in Dublin, Kildare and Wicklow reduce water usage during this period to help manage demand while the repairs are being completed.

Customers who experience intermittent loss to supply can access alternative water supplies at the following locations: Rathmore National School, W91 VK46; Kill Equestrian Centre, Newtown.

The repair's progress will be monitored closely and Uisce Éireann will keep customers updated as early as possible on the location(s) and duration of any prolonged impacts including supply disruptions, should they develop.