It's thought an entirely new facility could take three years to complete.
An Westmeath councillor is calling for a new, temporary water treatment plant to be installed in Athlone.
Irish Water says the existing facility at Marine View is no longer capable of keeping up with the needs of the town.
Plans to extend the current plant are in place, but Fianna Fáil's Aengus O'Rourke says that could take three years to complete.
He says an alternative facility is needed in the meantime, as residents and businesses are being hit with regular water outages:
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