The sod has been turned on a new €29 million water pipeline project to ensure a fresh water supply to north Co Wicklow and south Co Dublin.
The new pipeline will replace a 150-year-old 4km tunnel that was dug by hand through Callowhill when the Vartry Water Suppply Scheme was originally developed in the 1860s.
Water to the region still flows through the tunnel, but it is considered dangerous and at risk of collapse.
The tunnel will remain in use until the new 4km buried pipeline is complete.
