Drumgoold Villas gets water upgrade

By Dan Walsh

Work has commenced this week on replacing ageing backyard water mains and providing new service connections for customers in Drumgoold Villas in Enniscorthy.

The works in Drumgoold Villas involve the decommissioning of ageing back yard water mains and the delivery of over 190 metres of new water mains constructed along the public road.

Outlining the benefits the Backyard Service Replacement Project will bring, Joe Carroll from Irish Water, explained to WexfordLocal.com: “Replacing these old and problematic pipes in Drumgoold Villas will reduce the drinking water lost by leakage and will bring an all-round improvement to water quality for the local community. 

Mr Carroll added: “In partnership with Shareridge Ltd and Wexford County Council, we have been engaging with the residents and aim to complete the works with as little disruption as possible. However, the works may involve some short-term water outages, but our project team will ensure that customers are given a minimum of 48-hours’ notice prior to any planned water outages. 

“Where watermains are being constructed, traffic management may be in place. Parking spaces may be temporarily closed in order to complete works. Local and emergency traffic will be maintained at all times,” concluded Mr Carroll. 

These latest water mains replacement follow hot on the heels of crews who were in Pearse Road, St. John’s Villas and on the Old Dublin Road in Enniscorthy where hundreds of new water mains were constructed along the public road, bringing a safer and more reliable supply to residents there.

The project involves the replacement of water connections, typically made of iron or lead, that were installed in the back gardens of some older housing estates. The pipework, due to age and deteriorating condition, are a significant source of leakage and reduced levels of service.

Backyard services are usually shared, running through several neighbouring properties, making it difficult to detect and repair leaks. Since all properties share a connection, leaks and bursts affect all properties; usually resulting in low pressure. 

Irish Water’s customer care helpline is open 24/7 on 1800 278 278 and customers can also contact us on Twitter @IWCare with any queries. For updates, please visit the Water Supply Updates section of the Irish Water website or set your location on the website www.water.ie