5 December 2022
By Elaine Murphy
elaine@TheCork.ie
Irish Water is replacing almost 1km of aged and problematic water mains on South Main Street, Cork city. The old water mains had a high burst frequency and works are being carried out to provide a more reliable water supply, improve water quality and reduce the high levels of leakage.
The works, being carried out on behalf of Irish Water and Cork City Council by Ward and Burke Construction, are due to commence next week.
The works are expected to be completed by the end of May 2023 and are being carried out as part of Irish Water’s National Leakage Reduction Programme.
Speaking about the planned works, Steven Blennerhassett of the National Leakage Reduction Team said,
“Replacing these ageing water mains is another critical step in conserving our most precious resource and eliminating existing leaks which have been significant source of disruption for customers. These old water mains were unreliable and had a history of bursting and with the replacement of nearly 1km of these cast iron water mains, we aim to improve water quality and provide a more secure reliable water supply for Cork city.
“For us to complete these works, there will be traffic management in place. However, works will not take place during the busy Christmas period. These critical upgrades are being carried out prior to planned urban renewal works in the area. The section of works will take place along the Wandesford Quay, Crosses Green, Probys Quay, Hanover Place and Hanover Street and will be carried out in phases to minimise any disruption to businesses and residents.
“We wish to thank customers in advance for their ongoing support and patience as we deliver these necessary works to safeguard the supply for local communities in the area.”
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 customers’ 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 will be carried out on behalf of Irish Water by Ward and Burke Construction in partnership with Cork City Council and are expected to be completed by the end of May 2023.
Since 2018, Irish Water has invested over €500 million to upgrade the underground water network across the country through the delivery of the Leakage Reduction Programme. We are investing a further €250 million every year up to the end of 2030 – fixing leaks and replacing pipes to provide a more reliable water supply.
