A controversial pipeline from the River Shannon remains a key part of plans to improve drinking water supplies in the Greater Dublin Area and Midlands.
Irish Water says improvements are needed to supply drinking water to the 2.5 million people living in the eastern and midlands region – with the population expected to grow by 25 per cent by 2044.
A public consultation on providing a more secure and reliable supply over the next 25 years got underway today.
The utility’s Angela Ryan says they looked at 1,100 options – including pumping 300 million litres of water a day from the River Shannon;
"What we've come out with is a preferred approach that includes a new transfer from the Shannon but also includes reinforcing 136 existing water treatment plants," she said.
A number of groups including environmental organisations and affected landowners have objected to pipeline – that’s estimated to cost 1.3 billion euro.
Lawyer Emma Kennedy of Kennedy Analysis says the money would be better spent fixing leaks;
"It's not just the taxpayers' money -- it's because it's the wrong solution for everybody, Dubliners included. Until they fix the pipes in Dublin, Dubliners will continue to have a very unreliable water supply," she said.
The plan includes reducing leakage rates from 38 percent to 22 per cent by 2033 and the development of four new Water Treatment Plants
