Led by Irish Water, the Ashbourne Watermains Bottleneck Project involved the construction of over 5km of new trunk water mains along the R135 and adjoining roads. The new pipeline will support future growth and development in Ashbourne by providing the necessary infrastructure needed to support the building of houses and schools, to attract new industry and allow companies to expand and grow. It has also significantly improved water supply resilience for existing homes and businesses by replacing problematic watermains and upgrading critical sections of the water supply network while ensuring current and peak demand can now be met without interruption.
This project, which was carried out on behalf of Irish Water by GMC Utilities Group and in partnership with Meath County Council, also included upgrades to the water pumping station at Rath Reservoir.
To mark the completion of this critical upgrade and associated benefits to the local community and economy, Irish Water's Padraig Hanly met with Cathaoirleach of Meath County Council, Councillor Sean Drew, and Cathaoirleach of Ashbourne, Councillor Suzanne Jamal.
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Speaking at the event, Padraig Hanly said: "The delivery of this significant project will support existing and future residential and commercial development in Ashbourne and is one of a number of projects being delivered by Irish Water across Meath to enable growth and safeguard the water supply.
"We understand that the delivery of these important works to the underground water network caused disruption to the local community, so again, we would like to thank the people of Ashbourne for their patience and cooperation while we completed this vital project."
A number of other Irish Water projects currently underway were also discussed including the construction of new state-of-the-art reservoirs in Enfield and Windmill Hill which along with the delivery of this project will improve security and resilience of the water supply for homes and businesses while supporting existing and future residential and commercial development across Meath.
Pat Wickham, Senior Executive Engineer with Meath County Council, commented: "As a result of the collaboration between Meath County Council and Irish Water, this project has ensured Ashbourne is capable of meeting current and future demand, enabling the continued development of this growing town for years to come. This project is just one of a number of projects that Meath County Council in collaboration with Irish Water is undertaking across Meath that will not only improve the water supply across the county but will also unlock opportunities for much needed growth and development.
"On behalf of Meath County Council, I would like to thank the local community for their support while we delivered this important work to provide a better water supply."
Paula McCaul, CEO of County Meath Chamber of Commerce, added: "A reliable, secure water supply is an integral factor for local business, particularly for our multinationals and hospitality sectors. As Ashbourne continues to develop, local economic growth will be underpinned by the work already undertaken and by the work that continues to be delivered. It is important that the capital expenditure planned for Ashbourne and also across Meath continues to be implemented effectively in order to ensure the long-term delivery of an efficient and clean water supply for our communities and businesses and we welcome the continued development of this key part of infrastructure by Irish Water."
