Uisce Éireann is getting ready to start work on a major water network upgrade in Athlone to support future development within the town.

The project will see over 2.5 kilometres of water main upgraded – it will also improve the capacity and performance of the existing water network.

Site investigation works have already commenced with the main construction works, which involve the upgrading and upsizing of the watrrmains, currently planned to commence in early Summer.

The project will take approximately six months to complete and will be carried out in phases by Coffey Construction on behalf of Uisce Éireann.

Commenting on the benefits of the upgrades to the town of Athlone, Donal O’Connor, Programme Manager with Uisce Éireann, said:

"These upgrades will ensure that the water network is fit for purpose to support sustainable growth and development while also improving the resilience of the drinking water network enabling communities to thrive. We’d like to thank the people of Athlone in advance for their patience and support as we finalise the design and carry out these critical works.”

The vital upgrades are being delivered through Uisce Éireann’s Growth and Development Programme, a national programme of targeted investment to increase the capacity of water and wastewater infrastructure to enable social and economic growth, including the delivery of essential housing.