Irish Water, working in partnership with Kilkenny County Council, has completed a major pressure management project in Kilkenny City which has led to 900,000 litres of water per day being saved.

However, a large-scale interruption to the city’s water supply was required over an extended duration to deliver the complex project which meant that careful planning and collaboration with all stakeholders was a top priority.

Irish Water’s Leakage Reduction Programme Regional Lead, Joe Carroll explained why managing pressure on the water network was critical to the success of the project.

“The size and scale of the leakage challenge is well documented. Many people will believe that reducing leakage is only about replacing old pipes or fixing bursts. However, managing pressure on the water network is another key aspect to reducing leakage and providing a more stable and reliable water supply to our customers. What does managing pressure mean?”

“Drinking water has to travel under pressure to make it from the plant where it is produced through a complex network of pipes up hills and around bends before it reaches our taps. This pressure can challenge joints, fittings and weaknesses in the pipe work. Managing pressure is all about ensuring there is enough pressure to get water to our taps but not so much pressure that it damages the pipes along the way. Balance is the key.”

Kilkenny City is fed from Troyswood Water Treatment Plant. The main issue was that an outdated pressure regulation valve was causing major pressure issues across the water supply network. The high pressures were causing bursts and unplanned water supply outages for the local community, high levels of leakage and repair costs.

Joe Carroll and his colleagues had studied the complexities for some time and had prepared for all eventualities ahead of starting work on the project.

The works completed over three weeks at Troyswood involved replacing the old valve with a modern pressure regulation valve.

The valve replacement was on the trunk main leaving the water treatment plant, so there was no way of avoiding a widespread water outage during delivery.

Normally, supply interruptions during water network improvements are routine but are generally short in duration. The scale of area impacted is usually small too also meaning all customers impacted can be directly notified.

However, the interruption to the Kilkenny water supply required a minimum 22-hour window to complete the significant project.

Joe Carroll continued:

“There were potentially a wide range of customers impacted by the interruption to water supply. 18,000 properties in total including homes and businesses. We understood this was hugely inconvenient with Covid-19 requirements in place, but these works were vital to the security of the water supply for Kilkenny.

“There were several stakeholders involved to successfully deliver the works. Irish Water, Kilkenny County Council and Ward and Burke Construction were required to work in unison to plan successful engineering and communications. Health and safety were paramount in the planning process also. Communications issued across radio, print media, social media, through direct signage and elected representatives and business organisations were contacted directly.”

The benefits of the scheme are already being seen. The National Leakage Management Team have confirmed there are clear positives already. It is anticipated that the project will generate a 15% reduction in burst frequencies, reducing interruption to customer supply and therefore reduced operational costs.

The new valve also has remote capabilities, enabling improved operational control. With the improved levels of pressure control the lifespan of associated downstream assets will also be extended. The completion of works will also allow the existing infrastructure to serve possible new developments in Kilkenny City.

Commenting on the importance of the works, Tim Butler, Director of Water Services in Kilkenny County Council added:

“This was a complex piece of work with the purpose of securing the water supply for Kilkenny City in the short to medium term. The undertaking required clear communications with the public by Irish Water in partnership with Kilkenny County Council. We would like to join in thanking the people of the City for their patience during the works of which the benefits will be seen for many years."