Uisce Éireann's drive to cut leakage on the Cooley Peninsula has delivered major savings, with more than 780,000 litres of water conserved each day through targeted detection and repair work.

The volume saved is equivalent to the daily water use of over 5,800 people, roughly the population of Ardee.

A popular tourist destination, the peninsula sees demand spike in summer. With an ageing network prone to leaks, demand would often outweigh supply in peak season, leading to low pressure and occasional outages for local homes and businesses.

The latest works were carried out under Uisce Éireann's Find and Fix and First Fix Free schemes, key elements of the national Leakage Reduction Programme that locate and repair hard-to-find underground leaks.

James O'Hagan, Water Network Operations Manager with Uisce Éireann, said: "The success of our Find and Fix initiative in the Cooley Peninsula is a testament to the local community working with our frontline operational staff. By using advanced leak detection technologies and targeted repair strategies, we've been able to save over 780,000 litres of water every day. These efforts are not only reducing water loss but also significantly improving supply reliability for residents and businesses, particularly during the high-demand summer months."

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Declan Healy, Leakage Reduction Programme Manager with Uisce Éireann, said: "Through the First Fix Free scheme, delivered in partnership with our regional contractor, GMC Utilities Ltd, we've been able to tackle leaks on customers' properties, contributing to the remarkable water savings achieved in the Cooley Peninsula. Together with our public-side efforts, this collaborative approach with local customers has ensured that supply met demand throughout the busy tourism season this year - an important milestone for the community and for the future resilience of the network."

Eight months into the programme locally, outages have fallen sharply and supply reliability has improved across Cooley, Carlingford, Omeath, Lordship and surrounding areas, with scope for further savings as works continue.

New tools, including camera and geolocation technologies, are being used to uncover hidden leaks and guide future repairs.

Uisce Éireann says the wider programme is delivering benefits nationwide, from improved water quality to a more resilient and sustainable supply, alongside substantial water savings.