‘We're running out of road,' Uisce Éireann warns as Dublin's water system struggles to keep up with huge demand

Irish Independent

2 days ago

Wastewater treatment works are meanwhile so stretched that the capacity to cater for new houses will be exhausted in just two or three years.
The strains on the region's water and sewage systems were detailed for politicians at the Oireachtas Committee on Housing, where Uisce Éireann's asset strategy manager Angela Ryan warned: 'We're running out of road.'
Ms Ryan told the committee that homes, businesses and services in the Dublin region used 643 million litres of water on Monday, but the supply was built to provide 620 million litres at most.
She said the continued high demand was not sustainable without investment in new infrastructure.
That meant getting the proposed Shannon-Dublin pipeline started, a project the committee heard would cost at least €4.6billion and take over four years to build if it got the final go-ahead.
Until then, the supply situation would remain critical.
We have a dependency on Ringsend
Ms Ryan said there were similar constraints on the wastewater treatment side.
'We have a dependency on Ringsend [wastewater treatment plant]. We have upgraded it, but ultimately we have two to three years of growth left within it.'
She said even that forecast depended on Uisce Éireann completing lots of small projects to try to ease pressure, such as by preventing groundwater infiltration in the system.
'We can get up to 2028/29, but that's where we run into difficulties,' she said.
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Fianna Fail's Seamus McGrath said: 'So we're never too far away from restrictions?'
'Agreed,' Ms Ryan replied.
She added that money was being spent on these short-term works to prop up the system when it would be better spent on long-term solutions.
The Greater Dublin Drainage Project – a new wastewater treatment plant and linked upgraded sewage network – was in planning and awaiting a decision, while a planning application would be submitted for the Shannon-Dublin pipeline by the end of this year.
Both projects would have to await final approval from the Government, however, and Niall Gleeson, Uisce Éireann chief executive, said he was conscious that many agencies were seeking to get projects included in the National Development Plan, which is currently being reviewed.
I can see them drifting to more attractive projects in the UK
He said he was concerned about the impact of the uncertainty around future projects on the specialist contractors Uisce Éireann would need to build them.
'To me the biggest threat is the UK, which is investing £90 billion in water projects,' he said. 'If our supply chain doesn't see a guarantee of work, I can see them drifting to more attractive projects in the UK.'
The condition of the water and sewage systems is of concern as the Government attempts to accelerate house building, with around 150,000 new homes hoped for in Dublin and the wider eastern region.
The committee heard from ESB Networks that it too was facing difficulties meeting growing demand for electricity for new homes, expanding businesses, including the power-hungry data centre sector.
Managing director Nicholas Tarrant said new homes needed enough power to run electric heat pumps and electric vehicles, which meant providing for double the capacity per unit compared to a house built a decade ago.
He said that at the moment, north and west Dublin were key areas of concern, but a five-year funding plan had been submitted to the energy regulator late last year and it was hoped this would be approved soon to enable priority and urgent works to begin.
Regional TDs and senators also spoke of their frustration at hold-ups in building homes due to lack of electricity and water infrastructure in smaller towns and villages.
Several asked if developers could be allowed provide temporary wastewater treatment facilities so that construction could get under way.
Mr Gleeson reminded the committee that this was allowed during the Celtic Tiger building boom and Uisce Éireann was still working its way through about 800 such facilities, trying to repair them and take them in charge.
'We have a lot of legacy issues from the last time developers were allow to put in developer provided infrastructure,' he said.
He said the facilities were 'in various states of disrepair' and the job of fixing them was ultimately going to cost from €500m to €1bn.
Uisce Éireann had submitted a five-year funding plan totalling €16.9bn for 2025-2029, comprising €10.3bn for capital investment and €6.6bn for day-to-day spending.
That was to cater for a government target of 33,000 new homes per year, however, and since it was submitted, that target was increased to 50,000 annually.
Uisce Éireann is seeking an additional €2bn to cover the extra expansion.
ESB Networks meanwhile is looking for €13.4bn to cover the 2026-2030 period.