Completion of works ‘Back West’ as Uisce Éireann and Farrans deliver for Galway city

Visitors to Galway city’s West End over the past 18 or so months will have noticed, amid the buzzing atmosphere of what the city’s natives affectionately call ‘Back West’, the major programme of water mains replacements underway beneath their feet.

Since early 2025, works carried out for Uisce Éireann by Farrans under the Leakage Reduction Programme have seen almost 3km of ageing water mains to the west of the city centre replaced with new, modern pipes.

This extensive programme of works has provided a safer, cleaner and more reliable supply of drinking water for homes and businesses in the West End, while reducing the risk of leaks, bursts and other operational issues in the future.

Among the areas of the West End to benefit from recently upgraded mains are Dominick Street, William Street West, New Street West, Raleigh Row, Palmyra Park, Maunsells Road, Taylor’s Hill and Newcastle Park. The most recent section of works, at Presentation Road and Mill Street, is due for final reinstatement by the end of this month.

Enda Mac Namara, the Uisce Éireann programme manager who has overseen these significant works, said that this major programme of investment in the drinking water infrastructure of the West End will provide a real and tangible benefit for the people who live, work and socialise in the area.

“Upgraded water mains may not be visible to the naked eye, but they are crucial to ensuring that local communities can continue to thrive,” said Enda. “Over the last year-and-a-half, Uisce Éireann has committed to the targeted upgrading of ageing water mains in key parts of the West End, ensuring a more secure and reliable supply for our customers while driving down rates of leakage on the network.

“We want to thank the residents and business community to the west of the city centre for their patience and support while our works have been underway. These have been significant bodies of work which have required road closures and other disruption in the locality, and it would not have been possible to deliver these upgrades successfully without the backing of the community,” Enda continued.

Mains replacement projects by Farrans remain ongoing elsewhere in Galway city, including at Salthill Road Upper and Lenaboy Park, and along the Lough Atalia Road to the east of the city.

To find out more visit www.water.ie.