Dunboyne leak repairs save ten cubic meters of water per day

Homes and businesses around Dunboyne are still facing water shortages and low pressure, despite ongoing work to repair leaks around the town.

Uisce Eireann has said that repairs to leaks to date have resulted in the saving of ten cubic meters of water per day.

The water company have been working in Dunboyne since January following a huge outcry over Christmas by local residents, many of whom were without water for days at a time.

Cllr Maria Murphy said this week that repair work in the Millfarm area seems to have had a positive effect in that area, which has suffered very badly from water shortages in the past.

"I have been told there has been a great improvement there, but progress is slow and Luttrell Hall, Plunkett Hall and Kilbreena are still experiencing problems. Even the town centre can have problems at the weekend.

"We really need to keep the pressure on Uisce Eireann. Last week, Dunboyne College had to revert to hybrid classes as they were without water.

"We also have planning permission for in excess of 2,200 new houses in Dunboyne and this will add to the pressure on the water supply," she said.

In a statement, Uisce Éireann said it was continuing to deliver a targeted, strategic approach to pressure and leakage issues in Dunboyne to ensure a more reliable and resilient supply of water for local homes and businesses.

"Uisce Éireann Find and Fix leakage repair crews have been deployed in the village to identify leakage in the area and schedule repairs on the network. To date, several leaks have been detected and repaired on mains, valves, hydrants and supply pipes.

"So far, savings of ten cubic meters per day have been recorded from the repairs carried out.

"Teams will remain in Dunboyne until they identify and repair as many leaks as possible which will further improve water supply to customers. Of particular importance is reporting any customer side leakage and to allow customers to avail of Uisce Éireann first fix for free policy. To report leaks on the public network, or for more information, the Uisce Éireann helpdesk is available 24/7 at 1800 278 278."

Michael Cunniffe, Uisce Éireann Water Operations Manager in Meath, acknowledged the supply challenges in the village, which are related to network management and leakage.

“We are acutely aware that there are supply challenges in Dunboyne. We have addressed operational issues and targeted leakage detection in recent weeks as a measure to support us addressing overall pressure.

“We have deployed additional crews and specialist technology to identify leaks. This is bearing fruit, enabling us to identify individual large-scale leaks and complete several repairs to date. This work is continuing, and we ask for the cooperation of local businesses and homeowners to support work across the village.”

He said water is a valuable resource so finding and successfully repairing leaks is of paramount importance to save water and also ensure they can provide a reliable supply.

Work has also taken place on the ground over the past month to reconfigure the local water supply and remove hydraulic bottlenecks in the existing network.

The pump settings from Loughsallagh Pumping Station have been adjusted to increase pressure to the town at peak times while protecting the network at off-peak times.

"The Millfarm estate area connection was upgraded and shows a significant improvement in sustainable water pressure serving this area.

"We are now scheduling further network configuration from the main junction along the Summerhill Road to prioritise flow and improve water pressure into the Plunkett Hall and Luttrell Hall areas.

"There is also ongoing engagement with identified high-end users to understand demand and potential off-peak supply arrangements to further minimise the impact on the network."

Uisce Éireann has a free text service, providing real-time updates for local issues. Customers can sign up with their Eircode and mobile number at the text alerts page.