Irish Water details multi-million euro projects across North Cork
A KEY element of the Irish Water presentation at the breakfast briefing was a run-down by Pat Griffin, the company’s regional asset management lead, on ongoing and planned projects across the north Cork region.
Mr Griffin said the multi-million strategy would incorporate a number of individual projects, including the upgrading of the water network and waste water treatment plant in Mallow.
This will consist of new trunk mains on the northern and southern side of the River Blackwater, the upgrading of the pumping station on the bridge and work at the Ballyellis treatment plant.
Mr Griffin said the project, which will increase water quality and cater for projected growth, was at design stage and that it was hoped work would commence in 2019.
Upgrades to the treatment plants in Mitchelstown and Millstreet are also in the pipeline, with preliminary works set to start on both projects later on this year.
“The treatment plants in Charleville, Newmarket, Boherbue and Kanturk are currently being examined as part of a ninescheme bundle across the county, which is at the concept design stage,” said Mr Griffin.
“We are currently at the existing systems, seeing what the demands on them are and looking at options prior to going to the detailed designs stage.”
Mr Griffin also outlined progress on various local water supply improvement schemes, including the mains rehabilitation project in Kildorrery.
“The situation there has caused ongoing issues for a number of years and the good news is that the 1.9 kilometres of replacements mains are now in the ground. They are currently being tested and should be working by Easter,” he said.
“Another significant project, the replacement of 10.5 kilometres of water mains in Newtownshandrum, is progressing apace with 7.5 kilometres completed and expected to be commissioned by Easter, with all work completed by May.”
Mr Griffin said that mains rehabilitation works in both Doneraile and Millstreet were currently at the design stage and would follow “in due course”.
National projects with local significance include the ‘Fix and Find’ initiative, where Irish Water have put together crews dedicated to finding breaks and fixing them.
Mr Griffin said the initiative was part of a plan to reduce the amount of drinking water produced nationally by three million litres per day through addressing leakage problems.
“Crews will be active in Charleville and Newmarket for a few months before moving onto Mallow,” he said.
The ‘First Fix’ initiative aims to address leaks within private homes where there are more than six litres of water passing through the system during the night when water consumption should be at its lowest.
“We have sent out more than 4,000 letters to homes across Cork, but so far the take-up has been just 20%. We would like to see this improve as there are significant gains in water conservation to be made through this scheme,” said Mr Griffin.
While he added that a programme to replace lead water mains pipes in Mallow had been completed, funding was available from Cork County Council to replace lead piping on private lands.
“There is a low enough take up for this, so we would like people to be made more aware that this funding is there,” he said.