Households and businesses in Dublin and parts of Wicklow and Kildare could experience water supply disruptions early next week, Uisce Éireann warned.
The utility company said it was planning a major repair to a major water main that carries 220 million litres of water a day and supplies a third of the drinking water needs of the greater Dublin area.
The pipe is more than 25km long and about the height of an average adult. A recent technical survey identified defects, Uisce Éireann said. The preventative repair is intended to prevent a pipe burst that could potentially affect all consumers on the Greater Dublin network.
The pipeline to be repaired connects the Saggart Reservoir in southwest Dublin with the Ballymore Eustace Water Treatment Plant – Ireland’s largest drinking water treatment plant.
Uisce Éireann said there may be disruptions to water supplies in Kildare and parts of Wicklow on Tuesday and Wednesday, 13 and 14 August, including low pressure, discoloured water or no water at all.
The utility company said the work was essential because the line would likely burst without repair.
The energy company said a pipe burst would cause “unplanned and widespread water outages that could take weeks to resolve and affect up to 1.7 million people.”
The greater Dublin area is heavily dependent on the pipeline, which supplies a volume of water equivalent to 80 Olympic-sized swimming pools.
Uisce Éireann said the problem was discovered during an engineering survey which identified parts of the pipeline that needed repair. Uisce Éireann’s Mark O’Duffy said it was a complex project due to the size, age and location of the pipeline.
“Specialised teams will work day and night as quickly as possible to complete the repairs and restore normal water supplies. However, there is a risk of supply disruptions during these works and for a period afterwards,” he said.
Mr O’Duffy appealed to consumers in the Dublin area to conserve water to maintain supplies during repairs.
