Uisce Éireann has launched Pre-Qualification Questionnaires (PQQs) for the Greater Dublin Drainage (GDD) project and the Water Supply Project, Eastern and Midlands Region (WSP), marking a major step towards delivering two of the State's most critical infrastructure programmes.

Together, the projects represent investment of more than €7 billion in national water and wastewater infrastructure. The utility said the schemes are designed to support economic growth and enable essential housing in line with Government targets, and confirmed it is progressing at pace to avoid delay. Strong interest from Irish and international firms is being reported, signalling confidence in the ambition, scale and readiness of both projects.

On GDD, planning approval has been secured and the detailed Business Case has been approved by the Uisce Éireann Board. Preliminary works are expected to begin as early as year-end, with tenders for the main works to run in parallel, underscoring delivery urgency. For WSP, Strategic Infrastructure Development (SID) and Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) applications have been lodged, with procurement advancing alongside planning so the project can move promptly to delivery once approvals are in place.

This parallel approach reflects Government policy to reduce bottlenecks, compress timelines and ensure projects transition quickly from approval to construction.

The two separate PQQs invite contractors and consortia to demonstrate capability and experience in large-scale, complex infrastructure delivery. Following extensive market engagement, Uisce Éireann has streamlined and aligned the questionnaires across both projects where appropriate. The processes will run over the coming months to secure the strongest possible market response, building on early engagement with the construction and engineering sector to align capacity, capability and innovation with Ireland's infrastructure pipeline. The utility said this would also give industry the clarity needed to plan and mobilise resources at scale.

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Mike Healy, Strategic Projects Programme Director at Uisce Éireann said: "Both the Greater Dublin Drainage Scheme and the Water Supply Project are critical to supporting the water and wastewater services necessary for housing supply, sustained economic growth, and protecting the environment.

"The launch of both PQQ's demonstrates that we are ready to move at pace. We have listened to the market, engaged extensively with industry, and structured our approach to provide confidence, clarity and momentum. International experience shows that early market engagement, structured PQQ processes and parallel progression of procurement, design and enabling works significantly reduce delivery risks, control costs, and avoid delays between planning and construction. This ensures projects can proceed immediately once approvals are secured, improving delivery certainty and value for money."

Greater Dublin Drainage comprises a new wastewater treatment plant at Clonshaugh, a new orbital sewer, pumping stations and a marine outfall. Together, these elements will provide long-term capacity for sustainable growth in the Greater Dublin Area while protecting water quality and the environment. Preparations for early-stage delivery are under way, with preliminary construction due to start in 2027 and overall construction completion targeted for 2032. A detailed Business Case and procurement strategy approved by the Uisce Éireann Board was submitted to the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage in December 2025.

The Water Supply Project will deliver a resilient, safe and secure water supply with capacity to meet the needs of up to 50% of Ireland's population, supporting housing delivery and economic growth. The scheme includes abstraction from Parteen Basin on the River Shannon, a 172 km pipeline through Tipperary, Offaly, Kildare and South Dublin, and five major infrastructure sites including a new treatment plant at Birdhill and a reservoir at Peamount. One of the largest SID and CPO applications in the State was lodged with An Coimisiún Pleanála (ACP) in December 2025 following extensive public consultation, with ACP now conducting a seven-week statutory public consultation until 25 February 2026.