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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.
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.
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.
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Sure they’ll just buy them out from under the nose of first time buyers with the 7 billion housing budget and push prices higher!
On of the people that work with me was lucky enough to get a socially affordable home two years ago in a new limerick estate after 12 years on a list. When I call to help out with odd jobs it’s like visiting a foreign country as 2/3 are recently arrived and housed within 18 months of a successful application for asylum.
The rent is also means tested so my mortgage is actually cheaper.
Next election people should ask every candidate that calls to their door one simple question.
Please name 5 things you or your party have actually done for this community. Then film the answers.
What are people on about a housing crisis we’ve 158 units built there and plenty of fields for tents for people to get they’re bearings when they arrive. There’s plenty of extra tax fund from this budget i hear so more modular homes. Irish can look for a loan for an extension to house they’re families at granny and grandads house, that’s anyone fortunate enough to have parents who are lucky to own one. The rest can save up 5000 and head for Australia or USA cos they don’t allow you in otherwise,have a job lined up and no criminal record,opposite here though oddly unfortunately.
@Paddy C: you’re a tad off on the US there Paddy
I suppose it’s fair to say nothing has changed and nothing will ever change when FFG in charge.
I assume that number excludes the homes built for Ukrainians et al
Yawn. News ceases to become news (as in what is new) when one can foresee the future.
I propose that William Slevin gets deported. His tent or house will then become available to help ease the accommodation crisis.
Any seconders?
A Govt that lost the people & the moral authority to govern a long time ago. Listening to Harris speaking every day shows that he has no interest or concerns for the ordinary working Irish taxpayer, spends his days pandering to those arriving in record numbers every week, people are sick of it.
Too many, we need rental houses for us capitalists :)
@John D Doe: No rental houses for capitalists means less houses for people who want to rent! Landlords are needed despite being vilified all the time……. I’d choose to have more small time landlords over REITs anyday because the REITs profits go abroad and pay as little tax as possible!
Cooking The Books
My daughter has 3 young children with autism & asthma her husband took his own life 5yrs ago. She’s been on the housing list for 11yrs now with she currently lives in a private rented house paying €1500 a month. The house is damp and has black mould everywhere it’s so bad that she has to share her room with all 3 kids because the kids bedrooms are so bad. her kitchen and bathroom are a total health hazard with mould, she can’t ask the landlord to fix it because the people that were in it before her were given notice to quit because he was selling up, a for sale went up for the house for 3mths then went down and house was rented out then to her she knows he will do the same if she complains, there are 19 houses empty in our town some have been empty 3yrs there is no sense to it
have your say