Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

A new pipe being fitted at the burst main in Donore, Co Meath, which caused a water shortage in the Drogheda area over the past week Ervia

Water returns to Louth and Meath after a 'complex' repair - Irish Water

The water being produced by the fixed main may be discoloured but is still drinkable.

Updated at 4.30pm

IRISH WATER HAS said all customers in the Louth, east and south of Meath now have water after the “complex” repair of a burst water main.

A substantial portion of the north-east of the country has been living with a dramatically-reduced water supply, or none at all, since last Friday after a 50-year-old main burst in Donore, Co Meath, not far from Drogheda.

Irish Water said that as water returns to residents and local businesses, their next course of action will be to replace the pipes that have been damaged because of the burst main.

It said that although the exact timeline needed to be worked out, “a preliminary view suggests a timeframe of 18 months and a budget of €2-3 million will be needed to complete the work”.

Water. We are aware of the challenges we face with an aging network and the reality that significant failures will occur from time to time for the foreseeable future.

“Irish Water sincerely regrets the considerable inconvenience caused by this prolonged outage.”

Drinkable water

The company said there will continue to be isolated areas on high ground in the Drogheda area that will experience disruption or low pressure for some hours.

Restoration of the supply will also take longer for Ashbourne, Ratoath and areas on high ground and on the periphery of the network.

The Staleen water treatment plant is now back in production and Irish Water said reservoir levels are continuing to fill.

However, Irish Water has urged customers to conserve their mains water supply for the next few days “until supply has returned to normal”.

“It may take several days for full service to be restored to all customers, particularly those on high ground and at the periphery of the network,” the company said this morning in a statement.

Rostered rationing of mains supplies, which has been in place for most of this week, will continue today, but is expected to ease as the day progresses, with bottled water still being distributed to vulnerable customers.

Customers have also been advised that, while the water from their taps may be discoloured as a result of the installation of the new pipe, it is still drinkable.

Over 70,000 people in the area were left without water for nearly a week following the collapse of the Donore main last Friday.

- With reporting by Michelle Hennessy and Gráinne Ní Aodha.

Read: ‘People on low pay are not middle class’: Leo faced tough questions from Vincent Browne last night

Read: Offaly was once the centre of the world for stargazing – Today it takes a giant leap back there

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

Author
Cianan Brennan
View 82 comments
Close
82 Comments
    Submit a report
    Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
    Thank you for the feedback
    Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.
    JournalTv
    News in 60 seconds