The controversial Water Supply Project for the Eastern and Midlands Region has cleared another major hurdle, after its business case was approved by the Uisce Éireann board and noted by Government.
The decision allows the project, which would take water from the River Shannon at Parteen Basin and pipe it towards the Greater Dublin Area, to move into its next phase, including procurement and tendering. Uisce Éireann says the scheme is needed to reduce the east coast’s dependence on the River Liffey and to provide a more secure water supply for up to half the State’s population.
Under the proposal, water would be abstracted from the lower Shannon, treated near Birdhill in Co Tipperary, and then transported through Tipperary, Offaly and Kildare to Peamount in Dublin. Uisce Éireann says the project would involve taking a maximum of 2% of the long-term average flow at Parteen Basin and insists its studies show no negative impact on Shannon water levels or water quality.
However, the plan has faced sustained opposition across Co Tipperary and the wider Shannon region. Local concerns centre on the principle of removing water from the Shannon system to serve the east of the country, with opponents questioning whether enough has been done to protect Lough Derg, the Lower Shannon, wildlife habitats, farming communities and local water needs. Others argue that Dublin’s supply problems should be tackled first through leak reduction, conservation and upgrades to existing infrastructure before a multi-billion euro pipeline is advanced.
There are also concerns among landowners along the proposed route, including disruption during construction, compulsory purchase issues, long-term restrictions on land use and the scale of works required for a 170km pipeline. Critics in Tipperary have repeatedly described the project as one that asks rural communities to carry the environmental and construction burden for the benefit of the capital.
Uisce Éireann has defended the scheme as essential national infrastructure. It says the project would not only serve Dublin, Meath, Kildare and Wicklow, but could also create a treated-water “spine” with future offtakes for communities in Tipperary, Offaly and Westmeath.
Gary Gibson, Senior Programme Manager with the Water Supply Project Eastern and Midlands Region, states that the utility is already seeking contractors as the project progresses. If planning is secured, Uisce Éireann has previously indicated that construction could begin in 2028 and take around five years to complete.
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