Disruptions to people’s water supply are “inevitable”, Uisce Éireann has warned, as it works to fix leaks around the country.

The utility plans to spend €10bn in the next five years on repairs and upgrades to the country’s ailing water system, and homes and businesses are set to be left without water as a result.

The company has urged businesses and householders to sign up to its text alert service so they can be notified of planned works in their neighbourhoods.

Geoffrey Bourke of Uisce Éireann said: “Replacing and upgrading Ireland’s water infrastructure is a national priority, and we fully recognise that this work can result in temporary water outages and supply interruptions.

“Our text alert system allows us to communicate directly with thousands of customers, helping them understand the scale of the work and the potential impact.”

More than 250,000 people have already signed up for text alerts but Uisce Éireann wants all the homes and businesses it serves – close to two million – to sign up.

Alerts are sent direct to phones about water outages, boil-water notices, and other supply interruptions expected to last longer than four hours.

Since the service was launched last year, more than a million text alerts have gone out.

“I strongly encourage everyone to sign up and stay connected with us as we continue this unprecedented programme of upgrades,” Mr Bourke said.

“An example is the recent upgrade of the Ballymore Eustace to Saggart mains pipe.

“Over a 28-hour period, a crew undertook the largest ever pipe repair in Ireland.

“The risk of water outages was high, and Uisce Éireann ensured families and businesses were notified in advance via text alerts, received timely updates, and were encouraged to conserve water.”

Visit Water.ie and enter your Eircode and mobile number for alerts.