The good news for residents from Wellpark to the Docks is that a more reliable water supply is on its way, but the bad news for commuters is road works throughout the school term until past Christmas.
More than 1.8 km of ageing water mains will be replaced from Moneenageisha Road and the Dublin Road, along Lough Atalia, onto Bothar na Long, and past the Docks, with significant “backyard services” planned for College Road too.
To mitigate rush hour chaos on this major artery into the city centre, Uisce Éireann is planning works at two major junctions along this route at night, but daytime disruption may also be expected from next week until as late as February.
The news comes as Uisce Éireann has appealed to the public in Galway to use water responsibly as warm and dry weather conditions continue. A Water Conservation Order for the whole country is in place until next Thursday, August 26, with local supplies in Kinvarra, Loughrea and the Aran Islands under particular strain.
Supplies for vulnerable customers and essential services, such as hospitals, are being prioritised, along with homes, businesses, and farms.
"Simple actions such as taking shorter showers, fixing leaking taps and toilets, fully loading dishwashers and washing machines, and using a watering can instead of a hose or sprinkler can all make a meaningful difference. Every drop counts," said Margaret Attridge, Head of Water Operations for the national utility, who encouraged the public to report any leaks.
City pipe replacement
The first section of city works, from the Moneenageisha Road crossroads and the junction of Lough Atalia Road and College Road, is to take place at night.
Works are planned to commence at 7pm each evening, and continue to midnight, from next Monday, August 24, up to late January – possibly early February. Occasionally engineers will need to work past midnight.
Pipe laying along the length of Lough Atalia Road, as far as the junction with Fairgreen Road, will take place during daytime. This section will involve a closure of the footpath on the Lough Atalia side of the road to enable two lanes of traffic to be kept open, albeit at a reduced width.
Phase two, from Kearney’s Centra and Texaco filling station, as far as the junction of Dock Road with Queen Street, will also be night time works.
Notification of works letters have been issued to residents and businesses directly impacted by the upcoming project, and Uisce Eireann said its project team is engaging directly with local elected representatives and key stakeholders.
The water utility said these significant upgrades are being carried out in response to persistent bursts, leaks and other operational issues in the Lough Atalia Road area over recent months.
Major replacements should strengthen the network and reduce burst pipes in this area which have caused major disruptions in recent years. Local homes and businesses will also receive a cleaner and more reliable supply in neighbourhoods which have experienced repeated outages and disruption, according to programme manager, Enda Mac Namara.
Farrans Construction will deliver this project on behalf of Uisce Éireann’s €250m per year national Leaks Reduction Programme, and a number of traffic management measures will be in place to ensure the safety of crews, road users and the general public while these works are underway.
Similar works repairing 11 defects have been completed in Terryland and Mervue over the past two years, with leakage rates reportedly falling enough to save 960,000 litres of clean water per day in Galway – enough for almost 7,250 people daily.
Works on a major pipe upgrade are continuing on Presentation Road and Mill Street in the city centre, while a new programme of mains replacement is due to commence at Tonabrocky to the west of the city in the coming months.
Project literature from Uisce Éireann says Galway City Council has been identifying major pipework in need of replacement, with some mains serving urban areas more than a century old.
Merlin tank works
Meanwhile, residents in the east of the city have been assured that massive excavations necessary for a new waste water storage tank opposite Merlin Park are not using explosives.
At least three incidents of sustained bangs – each lasting a few minutes – audible from Oranmore to Mervue, over the past month, are the result of giant soil nails, ground screws and stabilisation anchors being hammered home after rock breaking. Heavy duty rotary-percussion and pneumatic rock drills are thought to be the source of rapid bangs travelling through the ground and air in nearby neighbourhoods.
The 950 cubic metre wastewater tank - roughly the capacity of 32 tanker trailers - is scheduled to be connected to a new pumping station in Merlin by mid 2027. Uisce Éireann said contract details are currently being finalised for the project to extend wastewater infrastructure from the upgraded Merlin Park Wastewater Pumping Station to the site of the planned Ardaun development of 4,000 homes.
“Uisce Éireann hopes to advance this project in early 2027, subject to statutory approval,” said a spokesman.
Last month, Galway City Council announced it had secured a €30 million allocation under the Government’s Housing Infrastructure Investment Fund for utility connections to unlock zoned land for 12,500 homes across Castlegar, Ardaun and Sandy Road.
