€118m scheme aims to replace Dublin's leaky water pipes

A new €118 million project to restore more than 280km (174 miles) of leaky water pipes in the Dublin region is due to get under way this summer. The restoration project is due for completion in 2011.

The project, the largest of its kind ever undertaken in the State, will provide much-needed improvement in water pressure and create savings of 20 million litres of water per day according to Dublin City Council. People who live in Ballsbridge, Merrion and Sandymount will be among the first to face disruption to their water supplies when construction work begins.

However, householders can expect water supply cuts over the next two years as a result of the work.

The Watermain Rehabilitation Project is being led by the council but will involve the four Dublin local authorities and parts of Kildare and Wicklow.

The project will begin in the coming months in the southeast of the city, focusing on about 80 houses per day.

Residents can expect cuts of one day's duration only, the council said. The council said householders will be notified in advance of having their supply cut. It has been criticised in the past for failing to warn residents of water cuts.

"Dublin City Council will publish and deliver a series of leaflets to householders and businesses to let them know well in advance and also nearer the time, so that they can make suitable arrangements to minimise the inconvenience while work is going on outside their premises," deputy city engineer Tom Leahy said.

The project will also involve the replacement of pipes in the city centre, and while some of the work will take place at weekends disruption to week-day traffic will be inevitable.

Mr Leahy said about 1,000km of the region's water mains are 80-100 years old and the pipes, particularly the smaller ones in older residential areas such as Sandymount and Ranelagh have reached the end of their useful life.

Water pressure was inadequate in some areas and in winter even moderate frosts led to the overnight loss of 25-30 million litres of water.

A previous pilot scheme, the Dublin Region Water Conservation Project - which ran from 1997-2002 - replaced some 20km of the city's oldest pipes, many of which were from the Victorian era. This scheme facilitated the construction of 40,000 houses, Mr Leahy said.