‘Long overdue’ – green light for major water improvement works in Kilkenny village

The green light has finally been given for water improvement works in Knocktopher.

Under the works Irish Water, working in partnership with Kilkenny County Council, will replace approximately 1,350 metres of aged cast iron water mains under the village with new modern pipes.

The programme to replace the water mains will commence over the coming days and last until April.

The exact location for the works will be between the Knocktopher village road sign around 150 metres north of Carroll’s Centra store, through Knocktopher Village to the Thomastown road junction adjacent to Scoil Aireagail.

In a statement, Irish Water said the contractor, Shareridge, will “work with the local community and businesses to ensure minimum disruption”.

Speaking about the works, Irish Water’s Programme Delivery Lead, Joe Carroll said: “These works are extremely important for the community and businesses of the village and surrounding areas. They will improve the water supply significantly in the area and provide some capacity for development through the reduction of the leakage on the network.

“We are appealing to the local community to bear with us as we carry out the works as they will involve laying new water service connections from the public water main in the road to customers property boundaries and connecting it to the customers’ water supply.”

Kilkenny TD John Paul Phelan welcomed the promised improvements to the local water supply, but said the works “are long overdue”.

Deputy Phelan (pictured below) said: “While I welcome the announcement by Irish Water that it is set to replace the old  cast iron water mains with new modern pipes, these works simply can’t come too soon for locals and business people in the area.

“The insufficient water supply has hampered development in this area which needs to prosper and grow. I hope that disruption will be kept to a minimum and that Irish Water completes these works within the timeframe outlined, finishing works by the end of April. This investment can’t come soon enough.”