Uisce Éireann seeks €50bn investment to overhaul Ireland's water network

Uisce Éireann presented an Oireachtas briefing that a sustained €2 billion annual spend over 25 years, totalling roughly €50 billion, is required to maintain and transform Ireland’s water and wastewater infrastructure. Key projects include the Water Supply Project Eastern and Midlands Region, which will bring Shannon River water to Dublin, and the Greater Dublin Drainage Project, both described as once-in-a-generation national initiatives.

The utility highlighted that each stage—from business case approval to commissioning—must proceed smoothly, as any hold-up could increase costs and delay benefits. CEO Niall Gleeson is set to warn that construction may cause temporary disruption for communities, but the long-term gains in resilience and capacity are essential for new housing and economic expansion. Uisce Éireann will also respond to a €31 million “negative revenue adjustment” imposed by the Commission for the Regulation of Utilities for missing leakage and non-domestic billing targets, while pointing out that national leak rates have dropped from 49 % in 2014 to below 30 % in the Greater Dublin Area. The utility emphasized ongoing repairs of about 2,000 leaks each month across its 65,000 km network.