North Louth sees significant water savings thanks to Uisce Éireann leak repairs

Uisce Éireann has said that its ongoing efforts to reduce leakage in the Cooley Peninsula in north Louth are delivering "major results", with more than 780,000 litres of water saved per day thanks to leak detection and repair works in the area. 

Uisce Éireann said that the 780,000 litres of water per day saved equates to the daily water usage of over 5,800 people, roughly the population of Ardee. 

The Cooley Peninsula, a popular tourist destination, experiences a seasonal surge in water demand during the summer months. Uisce Éireann said that the ageing network in the area is prone to leakage, meaning supply would often outweigh demand during the tourism season, resulting in low water pressure or outages for the community. 

Leakage detection and repair works were delivered under Uisce Éireann’s Find and Fix and First Fix Free schemes, which focus on locating and repairing difficult-to-detect underground leaks in the water network. The schemes are a key part of the wider national Leakage Reduction Programme. 

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James O’Hagan, Water Network Operations Manager with Uisce Éireann, said: "The success of our Find and Fix initiative in the Cooley Peninsula is a testament to the local community working with our frontline operational staff. By using advanced leak detection technologies and targeted repair strategies, we’ve been able to save over 780,000 litres of water every day.

"These efforts are not only reducing water loss but also significantly improving supply reliability for residents and businesses, particularly during the high-demand summer months." 

Declan Healy, Leakage Reduction Programme Manager with Uisce Éireann, said: "Through the First Fix Free scheme, delivered in partnership with our regional contractor, GMC Utilities Ltd, we’ve been able to tackle leaks on customers’ properties, contributing to the remarkable water savings achieved in the Cooley Peninsula.

"Together with our public-side efforts, this collaborative approach with local customers has ensured that supply met demand throughout the busy tourism season this year - an important milestone for the community and for the future resilience of the network." 

Uisce Éireann said that the programme, now eight months in progress in the Cooley Peninsula, continues to deliver results, with the potential for even greater savings as work progresses. Incidences of water outages have drastically reduced, it added, improving reliability for homes and businesses across Cooley, Carlingford, Omeath, Lordship, and surrounding areas. 

Innovative technologies, including camera and geolocation tools, are now being used to identify hidden leaks and opportunities for more leak repairs into the future. 

This project is being delivered as part of Uisce Éireann’s national Leakage Reduction Programme which Uisce Éireann said, continues to deliver significant benefits to communities across Ireland, including improved water quality, provision of a more resilient and sustainable water supply for customers, and considerable water savings.    

For more information on the Leakage Reduction Programme, including the First Fix Free scheme, please visit www.water.ie/reducingleaks. 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.  

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 service