Water supplies have been restored to the vast majority of homes and businesses in north Dublin following a major burst water main that left tens of thousands of customers without supply and caused widespread flooding and transport disruption.
The incident occurred in the early hours of the morning at Edge’s Corner in Fairview, where a large water main burst, sending floodwater across surrounding streets and forcing emergency repairs. At the height of the disruption, approximately 100,000 customers were affected. By last night, that number had fallen to fewer than 5,000, according to Uisce Éireann.
Areas Affected by the Outage
The burst main impacted a wide section of north Dublin, including Bayside, Collins Avenue, Howth Road, Raheny, Clontarf, Artane, Fairview, Kilbarrack, North Strand, and Drumcondra. Residents in these areas experienced either a full loss of water supply or significantly reduced pressure throughout the day.
Uisce Éireann confirmed that most remaining customers were dealing with low pressure rather than a complete outage, with full restoration expected once repair works were completed and the network had sufficient time to recharge.
Repair Works Progressing Under Difficult Conditions
Crews were dispatched to the scene shortly after the burst was reported and worked throughout the morning and afternoon in challenging, water-logged conditions to isolate and repair the damaged main.
“Crews have been working in extremely difficult conditions since early this morning to isolate and repair the burst, with final works now underway,” a spokesperson for Uisce Éireann said.
The utility confirmed that repairs were expected to be completed by 10pm, though it warned that it could take several additional hours for water pressure to return to normal across all affected areas.
Advice for Households as Water Returns
As supply continues to be restored, Uisce Éireann has advised households to check their internal plumbing systems. Following major network repairs, airlocks can sometimes occur, particularly in upstairs taps.
Customers are also being warned that temporary discolouration of water may occur as the system refills.
“If customers experience discoloured water, they should run the cold kitchen tap for several minutes until the water runs clear,” the spokesperson said, adding that this is a common and short-term issue following large-scale repairs.
Support for Vulnerable and Critical Services
Uisce Éireann said it prioritised maintaining supply to critical services, including hospitals and healthcare facilities, throughout the incident. The company also confirmed that vulnerable customers were contacted and offered additional support while repair works were ongoing.
Speaking earlier in the day, water network operations manager Keith Conmy said crews were working to resolve the issue as quickly and safely as possible.
“We understand the significant impact this incident has had on households and businesses, as well as the disruption caused to traffic,” he said. “Our teams have been working tirelessly to restore supply.”
Traffic Disruption in Fairview Eases
The burst main caused significant flooding around Fairview, leading to the complete closure of Fairview Road for several hours. Emergency services, including Gardaí and Dublin Fire Brigade, attended the scene to manage flooding and ensure public safety.
The road reopened shortly after 11am, easing congestion in the area and allowing traffic to return to normal flow.
Commuter Chaos as Storm Impacts Transport
The water outage compounded an already difficult morning for commuters, as the after-effects of Storm Chandra continued to disrupt transport services across Dublin and beyond.
Rail services were particularly affected early in the day, though conditions improved as repairs and clear-up works progressed.
Rail Services Largely Restored
According to Iarnród Éireann, the DART line between Malahide and Howth Junction was reopened after a fallen tree was removed from the track.
However, some disruption persisted:
- Northern Commuter services were experiencing delays of around 10–15 minutes
- DART services were running with delays of up to 20 minutes
More significant disruption remained on intercity routes. The Belfast Enterprise service was suspended between Newry and Belfast, with bus transfers operating between the two cities. Around 14 services were cancelled, while others were amended.
On the Rosslare Line, services remained suspended due to flooding near Enniscorthy. Bus transfers were not possible from Enniscorthy station, though a limited train service was operating between Gorey and Dublin Connolly.
Iarnród Éireann spokesperson Jane Cregan said repairs to signalling equipment damaged by flooding were ongoing.
“We’re still working to repair damage to signalling equipment caused by flooding, but we’re confident we’ll be back running a full service there at some point today,” she told RTÉ’s Morning Ireland.
More Flooding ‘Likely’ as Rain Continues
Amid continued travel disruption, weather officials have warned that further flooding is likely due to persistent rainfall and already saturated ground conditions.
Met Éireann has issued a Status Yellow rain warning for Carlow, Dublin, Kilkenny, Louth, Wexford, Wicklow, and Waterford, in effect until midnight.
The national forecaster said that heavy rain and showers falling on saturated ground, combined with high river levels, could lead to:
- Localised flooding
- River flooding
- Difficult and hazardous travel conditions
Met Éireann forecaster Holly O’Neill warned that further rainfall could have a greater impact than usual.
“With the ground being so saturated and rivers already so high, any additional rainfall is going to have a much greater impact than it normally would,” she said.
She added that Munster and Leinster are likely to be most affected as rain bands continue to move across the country.
Public Urged to Remain Cautious
Authorities have urged the public to remain vigilant over the coming days, particularly when travelling. Motorists are advised to avoid flooded roads, while commuters are encouraged to check transport operators before setting out.
As water supplies stabilise and clean-up efforts continue, Uisce Éireann and emergency services remain on alert in case further weather-related incidents occur.
