THE WATER SUPPLY Project, described as one the biggest infrastructure programmes in Irish history, has gone to public consultation.

Uisce Éireann has said the project will provide Dublin, Meath, Kildare and Wicklow with a “resilient, safe, secure water supply”.

Currently, the River Liffey supplies 85% of the water requirements for the Greater Dublin Area.

Uisce Eireann said this dependence on the Liffey results in a “serious vulnerability to risks such as prolonged drought or contamination”.

Meanwhile, Uisce Éireann’s forecasts show that, because of economic growth, population growth and the impact of climate change, the Greater Dublin Area will need 34% more water by 2044 than is available today.

In response to this, Uisce Éireann has developed its proposed Water Supply Project Eastern and Midlands Region.

Eastern and Midlands Water Supply Project Map Uisce Éireann Uisce Éireann

It will abstract a maximum of 2% of the average flow of the River Shannon at Parteen Basin.

This water will be treated near Birdhill, Co. Tipperary and the treated water will then be piped 170km through counties Tipperary, Offaly and Kildare to a termination point reservoir at Peamount in Co Dublin, connecting into the Greater Dublin Area water distribution network. 

Uisce Éireann said it will also create a treated water supply “spine” across the country, providing infrastructure with the capacity for future offtakes along the route in Tipperary, Offaly, and Westmeath.

It will enable supplies currently serving Dublin to be redirected back to Louth, Meath, Kildare, Carlow and Wicklow, providing security of supply to homes and businesses.

Eastern and Midlands regional in depth Water Supply Project Map Uisce Eireann Uisce Eireann

As part of the Consultation process, Uisce Éireann will be hosting a number of public information open days at key locations along the route in Tipperary, Offaly and Kildare, in addition to online webinars.

Information on the public information days and on how to make a submission can be found at water.ie/watersupplyproject.

The public consultation will run from today until 4 March, 2025.

Uisce Éireann said that the feedback received will be used to inform the design and environmental reports in advance of submitting a planning application to An Bord Pleanála. 

Director of Infrastructure Delivery at Uisce Éireann, Maria O’Dwyer said water supply in the Eastern and Midlands region faces a number of serious challenges, “notably the over-reliance on the River Liffey to supply 1.7 million people in the Greater Dublin Area”.

“The launch of this consultation is another major milestone towards the delivery of this essential infrastructure,” said O’Dwyer.

“We look forward to further engaging with stakeholders, landowners and communities along the route to provide them with more information and an opportunity to provide feedback.”

In an Oireachtas committee meeting last year, Uisce Éireann’s chief executive Niall Gleeson said that a new water source was urgently needed. 

However, Gleeson also warned that he expects there will be significant judicial challenges to the project, even after it is given planning approval.