€5m funding for Athlone Watermains Rehabilitation

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government Phil Hogan has announced today that he has approved the required funding to allow Westmeath County Council accept the tender of Sierra Communications Ltd in the amount of €5.02 million for the Athlone Watermains Rehabilitation Contract.
This contract is part of the Westmeath Water Conservation Stage 3 project and is listed as a contract to start under the Department’s Water Services Investment Programme 2010 – 2013.
The objective of this contract is to undertake watermain rehabilitation work throughout Athlone town including replacing of defective watermains which are no longer delivering the required level of service.
The Minister noted that the works in Athlone are one of three major contracts to reduce the levels of unaccounted-for water in Westmeath.
He said: “The expected savings from these works will reduce the amount of unaccounted-for water in Athlone.”
The news was welcomed by local Fine Gael TD Nicky McFadden, who said: “The works in Athlone are one of three major contracts to reduce the levels of unaccounted for water in Westmeath. It is part of a total of over €15 million invested in watermains rehabilitation in Westmeath and a total overall allocation of over €157 million in Water Services in Westmeath over the course of the current Water Services Investment Programme.
“Minister Hogan’s approval has cleared the way for work to commence and the Minister has said that he will be asking the council to proceed with these works as soon as possible,” Deputy McFadden said.