Cast iron pipes from 1930s to be replaced in city

Old cast iron pipes dating back to the 1930s are set to be replaced in Cork city, it was announced this morning by Uisce Éireann.

Uisce Éireann, known previously as Irish Water, said it is working in partnership with Cork City Council on a new watermain replacement project on the South Quays which will see over 4.2km of old cast iron watermains replaced with modern pipes.

The 4.2km of old watermains will be decommissioned and replaced with larger, more efficient pipes which will increase the supply capacity of the network.

The €4m project is expected to be completed by the end of quarter 1 of 2025.

Once finished, Uisce Éireann said, the project will provide a more reliable water supply, reduce high levels of leakage and enable growth and development.

The project is the third replacement project to be undertaken in Cork city this year as Uisce Éireann says it continues to address leakage and discolouration reports in the worst impacted areas of the network, as well as support development and economic growth.

Works have now been completed on Edward Walsh Road and are nearing completion on Popham’s Road. Later in the year, works will also commence at Sydney Park and Dublin Hill.

Commenting on the project, Leakage Reduction Programme Manager at Uisce Éireann, Jack Cronin said: “This is a major replacement project that is going to help Cork city thrive by supporting growth and development. Replacing old watermains in a busy city like Cork is not an easy task. Before boots are even on the ground it takes a lot of planning and liaising with our colleagues in the local authority, An Garda Síochána, local businesses and residents.”

“Once the project is completed, the local area will enjoy a more reliable water supply and a more resilient water network that will provide additional capacity to support future development in the area.”

The works, being carried out by Ward and Burke Construction Ltd on behalf of Uisce Éireann, will take place between Anglesea Street and Sullivan’s Quay, including Union Quay, Copley Street, Cotters Street, Stable Lane, South Terrace, and George’s Quay.

Works will commence next week at South Terrace and will be carried out in phases with some road closures required. Residents and businesses will be engaged with directly in advance of traffic management moving through each phase. Local and emergency traffic will always be maintained.

Mr Cronin added: “Our leakage reduction team has been hard at work and have reduced the amount of water lost by 50% in Cork city, that’s 17 million litres of water saved across the city every day. We remain committed to further investment in Cork to ensure the delivery of world class water services.We would like to thank customers in advance for their cooperation and patience while we complete these works.’’

To find out more, visit water.ie.