The water is piped from Vartry to a large open service reservoir in Stillorgan in the southern suburbs of Dublin.

[1] The original (lower) reservoir was completed in 1863 and has a capacity of 11.3 billion litres and a maximum depth of 18.3 metres.

[1] The Vartry Reservoir scheme involved the partial redirection and damming of the Vartry River, the building of a series of water piping and filtering systems (and related public works) to carry freshwater to the city.

This work was particularly important in the improvement of living conditions and public health in Dublin city.

[4] It improved sanitation and helped reduce outbreaks of cholera, typhus and other diseases associated with contaminated water.