New 5km water mains to support ‘future growth and development’
The completion of a major new water project for Ashbourne has been hailed as a major boost to the local business and residential community and will "unlock opportunities for much needed growth and development.
The Ashbourne Watermains Bottleneck Project, which involved the construction of over 5km of new trunk water mains runs along the R135 and adjoining roads.
The new pipeline will support future growth and development in Ashbourne by providing the necessary infrastructure needed to support the building of houses and schools, to attract new industry and allow companies to expand and grow, according to Irish Water.
"It has also significantly improved water supply resilience for existing homes and businesses by replacing problematic watermains and upgrading critical sections of the water supply network while ensuring current and peak demand can now be met without interruption," said Padraig Hanly of Irish Water.
The project, which was carried out on behalf of Irish Water by GMC Utilities Group and in partnership with Meath County Council, also included upgrades to the water pumping station at Rath Reservoir.
Pat Wickham, Senior Executive Engineer with Meath County Council, said: “This project has ensured Ashbourne is capable of meeting current and future demand, enabling the continued development of this growing town for years to come.
Paula McCaul, CEO of County Meath Chamber of Commerce, welcomed the improvements for the business community further adding, “A reliable, secure water supply is an integral factor for local business, particularly for our multinationals and hospitality sectors.
"As Ashbourne continues to develop, local economic growth will be underpinned by the work already undertaken and by the work that continues to be delivered. It is important that the capital expenditure planned for Ashbourne and also across Meath continues to be implemented effectively in order to ensure the long-term delivery of an efficient and clean water supply for our communities and businesses and we welcome the continued development of this key part of infrastructure by Irish Water".
Meath County Council Cathaoirleach, Cllr Sean Drew added: “A water network that is fit for purpose is essential in order to support future growth and development and the successful completion of this project will do just that and is a testament to the collaboration and dedication to everyone involved in this project.
To mark the completion of the project, Mr Hanly met with Cllr Drew, Ms McCaul, Cathaoirleach of Ashbourne Municipal Council, Cllr Suzanne Jamal, Cllr Alan Tobin representatives from Meath County Council and GMC Utilities Group, and Transition Year students from Ashbourne Community School. The school is actively involved in An Taisce’s Green-Schools environmental education programme which promotes long-term, whole-school action for the environment.
A number of other Irish Water projects currently underway were also discussed including the construction of new state-of-the-art reservoirs in Enfield and Windmill Hill.