Wallace Receives update on Ashbourne water supply
Ashbourne TD Mary Wallace met with the Area Manager of Meath County Council to discuss this important issue and to seek clarification on certain important points with regard to increasing water supply, and the provision of booster pumps and a stand-by generator to maintain pressure to the network extremities and higher areas.
Mary Wallace had requested an update from Meath County Council regarding the Ashbourne water supply which had been problematic and extremely frustrating for people, especially in the Tudor Grove, Huntsgrove and Racehill areas.
The Council has confirmed to Minister Wallace that a recent disruption was attributable to water production problems experienced by Drogheda Borough Council at its Staleen Plant. The Staleen Waterworks supplies the East Meath and Ashbourne, Ratoath and part of Dunshaughlin and environs. The Council is seeking proper notification should such a situation occur again, when difficulty with the water intake pump from the Boyne brought about a major reduction in water supply, as Meath County Council pay Drogheda Borough Council for this water supply.
The Council also indicate that in the event of disruptions certain areas in the system, i.e. extremities and higher areas, are worst affected and that disruptions are compounded by unusual unaccounted for water usage and unauthorised connections. The Council is actively tackling this problem and works are on-going.
The Council is dealing with issues relating to the increase in water usage through the Water Conservation Team (WCT) working in conjunction with Area personnel to address the unaccounted for water and this work will continue over the coming weeks and months. To date a major leak has been identified on the Ashbourne Rural Supply, which has been repaired and resulted in significant reduction in unaccounted for water. In addition, the WCT and Area personnel will be monitoring for unusual usage to active building sites, checking for unauthorised connections etc.
The Council has confirmed to Minister Wallace that booster pumps have been installed on the outlet from Rath Reservoir to maintain pressure to network extremities and higher areas, and that they have had a positive impact on pressure.
The Council also advised Minister Wallace that works to increase the supply to Ashbourne include a second borehole at Curragha which has been brought on line and this is increasing production levels. An additional production borehole at Curragha is planned in the coming months and this will also add to production levels.
The production bore in the vicinity of the McCabe Hotel development is currently at Part 8 planning process and it is envisaged that this bore will be operational later this year. However, in order to expedite delivery of this project, elements of the works that do not require Part 8 planning approval i.e. supply pipelines to the Rath Reservoir will be treated as advance works which will proceed in the coming weeks.
Other minor works to increase supply rates to Primatestown Pumping Station will also be put in place and this work is currently being arranged. Primatestown Pumping Station is located North of Ashbourne and the water feed is from Staleen.
Minister Wallace has been informed by the Council that a standby generator is also being provided to ensure the continuity of supply from Primatestown in the event of a power outage and this will be a major help as there were several such occurrences experienced in 2006.
Minister Wallace has been advised by Meath County Council that these measures are envisaged to significantly improve the Ashbourne Water supply as we approach the Summer months when demand will inevitably increase.
Minister Wallace said she will continue to monitor progress on the combination of the two boreholes, the success of the conservation team, the booster pump impact on pressure and the stand-by generator which should between them deal with the varied and many issues which impact upon the water supply for residents.
In the longer term the Council is working on a major water scheme solution between Meath County Council, Louth County Council and Drogheda Borough Council. And in the medium term the Council is also working on a Dunshaughlin area relief scheme including a water tower and new boreholes at Dunshaughlin.