Major pipeline repair works across the Greater Dublin Area may cause water supply interruptions throughout the Bank Holiday weekend, Uisce Éireann has warned.
The critical repairs affect a major pipeline supplying drinking water to one-third of the Greater Dublin Area. Work began Friday night and will continue through the weekend, requiring the complete shutdown of water flow through the pipeline.
Uisce Éireann is urging customers in Dublin, Kildare, and Wicklow to use water only for essential needs to help maintain supplies for everyone. The utility chose the August Bank Holiday due to typically lower water demand, but residents may still experience low pressure, discoloured water, or complete outages.
Head of Water Operations Margaret Attridge explained that the pipeline can only remain shut for 28 hours before storage levels become critically low. “Specialist repair crews have a very tight deadline to finish the repairs and refill the pipeline,” she said.
The complex operation, nine months in planning, involves specialist teams entering the pipeline to repair five active leaks and replacing 35 metres of worn piping. Customers are advised to avoid non-essential water use including filling baths, washing cars, and using paddling pools until Tuesday.
Following completion, residents may experience temporary issues like cloudy water or airlocks. Updates are available on the Uisce Éireann website.