Around 100,000 people in North County Dublin will have no water this Sunday due to construction work on a new pipeline. 

The €28 million project is expected to triple the area’s water capacity as its population continues to grow. 

“Uisce Éireann is preparing for a planned interruption to water supply on Sunday morning,” Tom Cuddy, Uisce Éireann’s Head of Asset Operations, explained to Newstalk Breakfast. 

“This will affect much of North County Dublin in Swords and surrounding areas. 

“The works will start in the early hours at 1am and the supply interruption will last until about midday for most people and into the afternoon on higher ground.” 

Tap water being poured from a tap in to a glass

The work had the potential to affect 350,000 people but Uisce Éireann has managed to reduce that figure down. 

“So, we have rezoned the network temporarily,” Mr Cuddy said. 

“So, it will be in the order of 100,000 people - primarily centred on Swords and the surrounding towns and countryside. 

“The airport is within this area but the airport has very extensive storage on its own site - they have sufficient storage for well over a week.” 

Tankers will be available in eight locations to give out water to those who need it and Mr Cuddy said toilets should still flush. 

“Certainly, customers can prepare [by] filling a jug of water and putting it in the fridge and fill the kettle also,” he said. 

“The water will be affected in the cold kitchen tap but all houses and most apartments have storage, so they will have storage for toilet flushing and so on. 

“But people should use the water sparingly because even if they have water, some of their neighbours won’t.” 

The current pipeline delivers 60 million litres of water daily to customers in North County Dublin but is operating beyond its maximum capacity. 

Main image: Water drips from a tap (Picture by: Patrick Pleul/DPA/PA Images) and a worker wearing an Irish Water jacket (Picture by: Laura Hutton / RollingNews.ie)