EPA report confirms mid-Louth water plant completion pushed to 2028

Work to upgrade the treatment facilities at the Greenmount Water Treatment Plant which supplies almost 4000 Uisce Eireann customers in Mid-Louth is not expected to be completed until September 2028 according to a report on water quality published by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The previous year's report gave an expected completion date of September 2026.

The plant which supplies water to the mid-Louth area has been slated for works for a number of years with the last estimate putting the cost of works at between €5- €10 million.

Additionally, Works to update facilities at the Cavanhill Plant which supplies Uisce Eireann customers in Dundalk have yet to be given a completion date.

The report also gave an expected completion date of March this year for work to replace the Tallanstown PWS (Public Water Supply), which serves 2,010 people, with water from the Cavanhill PWS.

An EPA Direction required compliance by December 2020 with Uisce Éireann previously  proposing a completion date of March 2025

Nationally, the latest Drinking Water Report published by the EPA showed a 99.8% compliance with microbiological and chemical standards. 

Dr Patrick O’Sullivan, Drinking Water Compliance Senior Manager, stated: “We operate over 700 water treatment plants and are committed to delivering transformative water services that enable communities to thrive. The EPA’s report recognises our progress in monitoring, testing, and safeguarding water quality. Where risks are identified, we act swiftly — issuing temporary Boil Water Notices or Do Not Consume Notices to protect public health.

“While improved incident detection and escalation protocols — highlighted by the EPA as a positive development — may result in the earlier activation of BWNs, the sharp decline in both the number and population affected in 2024 demonstrates real progress in infrastructure resilience and risk management across the public water supply network.

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“We are proud of the progress made, but we recognise that challenges remain. A key priority for Uisce Éireann is increasing the resilience and security of our water supplies. We are in the process of standing up a Drinking Water Safety Plan team to proactively assess all of our water treatment plants and networks. 

“Our National Operations Management Centre is now monitoring alarms at 517 of our water treatment plants, covering a population of approximately 3.8 million people. Initiatives such as these enable us to protect public health by quickly identifying and rectifying any significant issues with water quality when they arise. This is part of our continued focus on swift resolution and long-term prevention measures to safeguard public health and enhance confidence in public drinking water.”