Irish Water, working in partnership with Westmeath County Council, is progressing with water main improvement works in Bullet Road, Athlone, to improve the security of supply and reduce high levels of leakage.
The works, which began in early September, involve the replacement of almost 500 metres of old and problematic water mains that were prone to frequent bursts and leakage which caused water supply disruptions for customers in the area. The mains are being replaced with new high density, polyethylene (plastic ) pipes.
The works will also involve laying new water service connections from the public water main in the road to customers’ property boundaries and connecting it to the customer’s water supply. Where the existing service connections on the public side are lead these will be replaced as part of this improvement work.
“The works may involve some short-term water shut-offs and traffic management measures which we understand may cause inconvenience. The project team will ensure that customers are given a minimum of 48 hours’ notice prior to any planned water shut-offs,” Irish Water’s national Leakage Reduction Programme Regional Lead, Matthew Thompson, remarked.
To facilitate the safe delivery of these works, some traffic management will be in place, however, local and emergency access will be maintained at all times.
Irish Water and Westmeath County Council regret any inconvenience these improvement works may cause. The works are being carried out on behalf of Irish Water by GMC Utilities and are expected to be completed by October 2020.
