Residents of two streets in Tullamore won't tolerate flooding for another winter

A CALL on Uisce Eireann to speed up the delivery of a project to upgrade wastewater treatment works in Callary Street and Convent View in Tullamore has been made by an Independent public representative.

The call was made by the Leas Cathaoirleach of Offaly County Council, Cllr Sean O'Brien, as Uisce Éireann commence site investigations this week as part of a significant wastewater network upgrade in Tullamore.

Cllr O'Brien said he attended a meeting with Uisce Eireann representatives on Monday to hear their plans to upgrade the wastewater treatment facility that affects the two areas during heavy rain periods.

"I asked when we can expect to see a contractor on the ground to get the work done and I was informed that it could be late 2026 or early 2027" outlined Cllr O' Brien.

"I told them that this is not acceptable as people simply cannot be expected to tolerate this situation for another winter," he outlined.

"We will be using all channels to try and influence this decision as this work is long overdue and it is essential from a health and safety perspective," stressed Cllr O' Brien.

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Survey works by Uisce Eireann will take place at various locations across the town both north and south of the Grand Canal, including Convent View, Thornsberry Estate, Callary Street, Connolly Park, Convent Road, Patrick Street and Main Street, over the coming weeks.

To ensure the safety of the public and workers, temporary traffic management measures will be in place throughout the duration of the surveys. Local and business access will be maintained at all times.

Ciaran Ryan, Programme Manager at Uisce Éireann said: “Site investigations are a vital part of progressing Uisce Éireann projects, helping us deliver the most effective design and construction outcomes. These works will provide critical data to inform the feasibility and impact of the proposed wastewater infrastructure upgrade.”

Coffey Construction are carrying out the works on behalf of Uisce Éireann. It is expected the site investigation works will take approximately nine weeks to complete.

Once the design phase is complete, Uisce Éireann will progress the necessary statutory, regulatory, and budgetary approvals required to deliver the new infrastructure.

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For more information customers can also phone Uisce Éireann on 1800 278 278 with any questions about the project.

Uisce Éireann has a free text service, providing real-time updates for local issues. Customers can sign up with their Eircode and mobile number at text updates.