A "rolling lane closure" on Bohermore/Prospect Hill, between 10am and 4pm throughout August is "the least disruptive" time period in which to carry out essential watermain rehabilitation works.
This is the view of the Galway City Council, which had considered a number of alternative options, which had considered carrying out the works at night, or only at weekends, but rejected these as night works meant "noise disruption in a residential area", and weekend works would result in the project taking longer to complete.
However the local authority admitted that the works would "cause traffic disruption", but given these are taking place after the festival season, and before the return to school and university, it is the least busy time to have the works carried out. It also acknowledged that would be temporary shutting off of water supply at times, occasional parking restrictions, and some weekend works when required.
"The contractor will also need to access and carry out works on customer properties," said a spokesperson for City Hall. "This is in order to replace existing common service pipes with a new individual connection pipe to their property. This will be done in full consultation with the customer and with their permission."
The works, which began on Tuesday, will continue until September 6. This first week involves trial holing followed by open cut excavations, starting August 12 at St Anthony’s Terrace, proceeding towards Eyre Square, until September 6. The work will be managed by way of rolling lane closures, rather than full road closures, between 10am and 4pm daily, and will involve the laying of two to three 13m lengths of new watermains per day, requiring a lane closure of approximately 100m to facilitate this.
Leakage in the Bohermore/Prospect Hill Area of is estimated to be at 30,000 litres an hour. "This amounts to almost three quarters of a million litres a day or to put in context, the equivalent of two Leisureland swimming pools," the spokesperson said. As a result the works are being deemed essential by the local authority.
The works are being carried out Shareridge Ltd. City Hall said it would monitor the impact of the lane closure during the first week and that "consideration would be given to other options if required". It said there will also be consultation with local residents, businesses, and An Garda Síochána. For more information see www.galwaycity.ie
