Uisce Éireann, formerly Irish Water, has announced a significant investment of a further €30 million in the Leixlip Water Treatment Plant (WTP) to safeguard the water supply to Kildare and the Greater Dublin Area.
This investment marks the third phase of enhancements aimed at increasing the resilience of Ireland’s second largest water treatment facility.
The upgrade, once completed, will add 63 million litres of water per day back into Uisce Éireann’s network ensuring a robust water supply for over 620,000 residents across the Greater Dublin Area.
Ian O’Neill, Portfolio Manager with Uisce Éireann said:
“This is a good news story for families and businesses in the Greater Dublin Area, including parts of Kildare. The combined upgrades will improve the security of water supply for over 620,000 people.
“This upgrade will play a key role in supporting housing and industry. It will also help futureproof our water supplies as we face challenges that are likely to be presented by factors such as population growth, climate change, and prolonged periods of warm, dry weather.”
Phase 3 of the upgrade, which is programmed to take three years, will include upgrades to the filters and clarifiers; the installation of a new flocculation tank; the replacement of the raw water pumps and significant enabling works. The works are already under way and are expected to be completed by 2027.
Aoife Grogan, Project Manager, Uisce Éireann commented:
“This project is one of several critical investments to deliver transformative water services across the GDA, providing a more robust, resilient water supply to meet current and future demands”.
The first phase of the project commenced in June 2018 and focused on modernising existing facilities, enhancing drinking water quality, reliability, and resilience. These improvements significantly reduced the risk of boil water notices and enabled the removal of the Leixlip Water Supply Scheme from the EPA’s Remedial Action List (RAL).
The second phase consisted of a €20 million investment and involved upgrading coagulation, flocculation, clarification, and filtration processes, along with pH control enhancements. This upgrade is currently nearing completion.
Demand for treated water across the Greater Dublin Area has reached record levels this year, putting severe strain on water supplies serving communities in Dublin, Kildare, Wicklow and Meath.
