Successful upgrades lessen Loughrea leakage

Information below is relevant until further updates are provided here or on our Supply and Service Updates section

The residents, businesses and visitors to Loughrea are enjoying improved water quality and a more secure supply after the recent completion of extensive water main replacement works in and around the picturesque South Galway town. 

The programme of works initiated last year by Uisce Éireann involved the replacement of 1.8km of aging water mains in the town. The works were carried out under Uisce Éireann’s national Leakage Reduction Programme (LRP), which aims to significantly reduce the volume of clean drinking water lost to the network through leakage before ever arriving in customers’ taps. 

The works in Loughrea began in the summer of 2023 and were completed in autumn 2024. The project involved the laying of new, modern pipes at several different locations around the town, including Castle Street, Church Street, King Street, Kelly Street, Piggott Street, Moore Street, Dolphin Street, Mount Carmel Crescent, Athenry Road, Liam Mellows Terrace and Cross Street. 

The works will benefit the residents and businesses of Loughrea not only by ensuring a more secure, reliable water supply, but by providing improved water network operation that will require less maintenance in the future. These works also allowed for the lifting of the Boil Water Notice which had been in place in the town prior to the commencement. 

The programme of works necessitated some localised traffic management measures and short-term water interruptions and Uisce Éireann would like to thank the community of Loughrea for their patience and understanding while works were underway. The works were carried out by Farrans Construction on behalf of Uisce Éireann. 

Enda Mac Namara, Programme Manager with Uisce Éireann, said that customers in Loughrea can be assured of a more secure and reliable supply of drinking water as a result of these main replacement works. 
“Not only will these upgrades result in fewer leaks and a reduced risk of contamination, but the new pipes will also significantly lower the instances of bursts and outages on the network, leading to a more secure supply for the people of Loughrea."

“Finding and fixing leaks in the network is an ongoing challenge for us at Uisce Eireann but it is one we are firmly committed to meeting,” Enda added. 

Since 2018, Uisce Éireann has invested more than €500 million to upgrade the underground water network across the country through the delivery of the national Leakage Reduction Programme. Uisce Éireann is investing a further €250 million every year up to the end of 2030 – fixing leaks and replacing pipes to provide a more reliable water supply. Uisce Éireann is on target to reduce the national rate of leakage to 25% by 2030, from a high point of 46% in 2018. 

For more information on the Leakage Reduction Programme please visit the Reducing Leaks page. Members of the public can report any leaks in the public water network by contacting Uisce Éireann at 1800 278 278 or online at Report a Leak.