Irish Water Complete Mains Upgrades To Improve Output And Quality In Glenealy & Bray

From the first cuppa of the morning to keeping the shops and community halls ticking over, Wicklow homes and businesses are set for a steadier, more dependable supply.

Good news flowing through the Garden of Ireland this week, as Uisce Éireann put the finishing touches to a major upgrade to the local water network.

Crews have been busy swapping out almost 1.5km of tired, ageing water mains for shiny new resilient pipework across three key spots — Glenealy, Raheen Park, and on Killarney Road in Bray.

The old pipes had a habit of bursting and leaking, leading to interrupted supply and wasted treated water — not something anyone in Wicklow wants to see going down the drain.

What's the story in each area?

• Raheen Park, Bray: 600 metres of old cast iron mains replaced — fewer bursts, more stable supply for locals.

• Glenealy (Chestnut Glen): Around 285 metres of ageing pipe swapped out in an area that's had more than its fair share of leaks and bursts over the years.

• Killarney Road, Bray: Over 600 metres upgraded, tackling bursts and leaks head-on.

Uisce Éireann's Nicola Butler, Programme Manager, says the work is about building for the long haul.

"These works are an important part of delivering a water service built to last. By replacing ageing pipes with modern, resilient infrastructure, we're improving water services today while strengthening resilience for the future," she said, adding a word of thanks to residents for putting up with the roadworks and disruption along the way.

GMC Utilities Group Ltd carried out the works on Uisce Éireann's behalf.

The bigger picture

This Wicklow project is just a small slice of a much bigger national push. Ireland has a whopping 65,000km of underground water mains — enough to wrap around the globe one and a half times — so hunting down hidden leaks is no small task.

Still, the numbers show real progress: national leakage has dropped from 49% back in 2014 to 36% today, its lowest level ever.

For more on the national effort to plug the leaks, head to Uisce Éireann's National Leakage Reduction Programme page.

Bray (Uisce Eireann)