Funding for several vital water infrastructure upgrades across Galway has been secured as part of a massive, €13.6 billion splurge approved by the Commission for the Regulation of Utilities (CRU ) across 26 counties.
Uisce Eireann has confirmed at least five major water and wastewater projects across County Galway now have funding ringfenced up to 2029.
The utility said these infrastructure investments are focused on supporting new housing developments, protecting the environment, and improving water services for communities.
For Galway, a number of critical water and wastewater infrastructure projects will be progressed, including upgrades to the existing wastewater treatment plants in Mountbellew and Ballygar, both of which are currently at tender assessment stage.
New wastewater infrastructure to end the discharge of untreated wastewater to the sea is proposed for both Roundstone and An Cheathrú Rua in Connemara.
Construction on an upgrade of the Merlin Park Wastewater Pumping Station to boost capacity for the growth and development of new housing to the east of Galway city has recently commenced, and there are planned water network upgrades to both the east and west of the city as part of the government’s Housing for All programme.
Housing for All was set out by the government in 2021 based on the target that Ireland will need 33,000 new homes each year up to 2030. The CSO estimates almost 151,000 homes have come on stream since 2021, from 20,497 that year, with a record high of 36,284 last year. In Galway, 1,478 new homes were completed in 2025, reflecting a 16 per cent increase on 1,243 in 2024.
Lack of water and wastewater connections has been highlighted as a bottleneck for new housing developments across Galway city and county by a number of industry professionals and commentators.
“Our focus now is on delivery—progressing critical infrastructure, managing our operational and capital expenditure responsibly and efficiently, and meeting the targets set by our regulator,” says Justin Johnston, Uisce Éireann’s Director of Strategy, Resilience and Regulation.
Sean Laffey, Uisce Éireann’s Director of Asset Management, said the CRU approval was separate to €2 billon of National Development Plan allocations, and that it would fund water treatment and network upgrades, including leakage reduction and improvements in service resilience.
“Critically, it will support housing delivery by enabling new connections and addressing infrastructure constraints in key growth areas. [This] announcement also allows Uisce Éireann to continue to move projects through planning, construction and into operation, while ensuring that investment is translated into tangible improvements in services for customers and communities.
“Communities across the country will see further evidence of projects being advanced, as we work to increase capacity, improve reliability and meet our environmental obligations.”
