Ageing network in north Louth a primary cause for water pressure issues

Louth Fianna Fáil TD, Erin McGreehan, has said that ongoing leak detection and repair works across the Cooley Peninsula are delivering significant water savings and should help resolve the water pressure issues affecting households in the area, and that the ageing water network, which is prone to leakage, is one of the primary causes.

The Dundalk Democrat reported earlier this month on comments from Uisce Éireann, where it said its efforts to reduce leakage in the Cooley Peninsula has resulted in more than 780,000 litres of water saved per day, thanks to its leak detection and repair works, a volume of water which equates to the daily water usage of over 5,800 people, roughly the population of Ardee.

Deputy McGreehan told the Dundalk Democrat this week, that she received confirmation from Uisce Éireann that intensive efforts to tackle leakage on the peninsula will ultimately improve water pressure issues many residents have been experiencing.

The Deputy was informed that one of the primary causes of low water pressure across the peninsula is the ageing water network, which is prone to leakage. During peak tourism periods demand can exceed available supply, leading to reduced pressure and occasional outages for residents and businesses.

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Speaking on the issue, Deputy McGreehan said: “Low water pressure has been a persistent problem for many households across the Cooley Peninsula.

“I have been engaging with Uisce Éireann on this issue and I am encouraged by the scale of the work now underway to address leakage across the network. These repairs are critical if we are to ensure a reliable water supply for local communities. When people turn on their taps they should have confidence that water will flow without disruption.

“The Cooley Peninsula is a popular tourist destination and while the seasonal increase in visitors brings many benefits, it also places additional strain on an already ageing water system. Reducing leakage is essential to meeting this increased demand.”

“Investment in renewing and repairing our water infrastructure is vital. By tackling leakage at its source these works are helping to improve water pressure for residents while also preventing unnecessary waste and securing long-term savings,” she said.

The leakage detection and repair works are being delivered under Uisce Éireann’s Find and Fix and First Fix Free schemes, which focus on identifying and repairing difficult-to-detect underground leaks. These initiatives form a key part of the national Leakage Reduction Programme.

Deputy McGreehan added: “These works are already reducing water loss and improving supply reliability for homes and businesses, particularly during the high-demand summer months.

“With the programme now eight months underway in the Cooley Peninsula incidences of water outages have reduced significantly. As work continues there is potential for even greater savings and further improvements.”