Irish Water has announced proposals for a new water supply for the midlands and east.

The preferred option would involve water being collected from Parteen Basin in Co. Tipperary and treated at Birdhill, before being piped to Peamount in Dublin.

The water is to be supplied to 40% of the country’s population.

It is estimated that this region will require 330 million litres of water per day by 2050, the equivalent of 125 Olympic swimming pools.