Traffic disruption expected during work on Buncrana to Letterkenny water main

Drivers travelling between Buncrana and Letterkenny can expect to face traffic disruption over the coming months as a major water main upgrade gets under way.

Site investigations for a new 36km trunk water main from Buncrana to Letterkenny, the upgrade of the Illies water treatment plant, and the construction of new reservoirs and upgrade of the water pumping station at Bohillion in Burt, will commence later this month and continue through the summer as a prelude to the laying of the new pipeline.

Traffic management to facilitate this work can be expected along the route of the existing trunk water main on the N13 from Letterkenny to Burt chapel and on the R238 from Burnfoot to Buncrana.

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Contractors Whieteford Geoservices will carry out site investgation as part of the initial phase of a project that's designed to bring water from the Eddie Fullerton Pollan Dam in the Illies to 29,000 customers in and around Letterkenny.

Letterkenny’s current water supply infrastructure has a limited capacity and suffers frequent outages, but this upgrade will enhance it and for growth in the area while improving reliability for customers.

Uisce Éireann's John McElwaine said the Letterkenny water supply zone project is a significant investment for the region and the upgrade to the existing network will deliver a reliable water supply for generations to come. He said short sections of roads will be closed to one lane where necessary to carry out the work.

“These works will take place at our sites and along the route of the new trunk water main, but I can assure the people of Donegal that areas of works will be limited to short sections to minimise impact,” Mr McElwaine said.

“Traffic management will be in place in the benefitting communities in the coming weeks, but crews will make every effort to minimise disruption and local and emergency traffic will be maintained at all times.”