Local Authority News - Vol 36. No. 2

FRONT COVER LAN 36 No 2 2017 07/06/2017 15:42 Page 1

LAN LOCAL AUTHORITY NEWS

• Irish Water & Wastewater Supplement 2017 • What impact will the GDPR have on the public sector?

• 88 Reasons to celebrate 30 years of Blue Flag in Ireland • EPA report - bathing water quality in Ireland.

• €26 26 million has been approved for 44 community energy projects across Ireland.

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CONTENTS VOL. 36 No 2

FEATURES WHAT IMPACT WILL THE GDPR HAVE ON THE PUBLIC SECTOR?

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88 REASONS TO CELEBRATE 30 YEARS OF 5 BLUE FLAG IN IRELAND Published by:

GILTRON LTD RIVERVIEW LODGE, DUBLIN ROAD, NAVAN, CO. MEATH.

61 BEACHES RECEIVE THE GREEN COAST AWARD FOR THE 2017 BATHING SEASON 9 SLIGO’S BLUE FLAG AND GREEN COAST 10 BEACHES

Tel: 00353 46 9072841 Email: info@localauthoritynews.ie Website: www.localauthoritynews.ie

EPA REPORT - BATHING WATER QUALITY IN IRELAND. A REPORT FOR THE YEAR 2016

Designed & produced by Donnelly Design & Print Ltd. Tel: 046 - 9091891

ISSN NO. 1393-0394 LAN is available FREE OF CHARGE to all Local and Central Government Bodies throughout Ireland.

Published bi-monthly it is disseminated to Local Authority Managers, Assistant Managers, County Secretaries, Finance Officers, Principal Officers, Department Heads, County Engineers, City Engineers, Chief Quantity Surveyors, Senior Architects, Plant Superintendents, Senior Executive Engineers, Town Clerks, Purchasing Officers, Administrative Officers, Inspectors, Park Superintendents, County Librarians, etc. in all Government Departments, County Councils, Corporations, Office of Public Works, Urban District Councils, StateSponsored and Development Bodies and Agencies.

11 DENIS NAUGHTEN TD MINISTER FOR COMMUNICATIONS, CLIMATE ACTION AND ENVIRONMENT HAS ANNOUNCED THAT GRANT FUNDING OF €26 MILLION 13 €2.8M CAPITAL FUNDING PROGRAMME FOR 51 HARBOUR PROJECTS ANNOUNCED BY 15 MINISTER CREED COUNCIL LAUNCHES NEW DRIVER AWARENESS CAMPAIGN

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DUBLIN CITY COUNCIL IMPROVES SAFETY 20 ON FLEET WITH ‘SENTINEL SYSTEMS

REGULARS DEPARTMENT BREIFS

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PRODUCT INFO

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CLASSIFIEDS

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What impact will the GDPR have on the public sector?

By Davinia Brennan (Associate, A&L Goodbody Solicitors)

he EU General Data Protection Regime (GDPR) was adopted last year, and comes into force in May 2018.

It will apply to both public and private sector organisations that handle personal data relating to living individuals. It repeals and replaces current EU and national data protections laws, introducing one single harmonised data protection law across the EU. The reason for the lead in time is that it introduces a sweeping new data privacy regime, and it will take some time for organisations to update their data protection policies and procedures to comply with the new rules.

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Key Obligations The GDPR imposes more onerous data protection obligations on public and private sector organisations and strengthens individualsĘź control over their data. It imposes a few special rules in relation to public bodies which are discussed below. Five key obligations introduced by the GDPR are: (i) Data Protection Officers The GDPR requires all 'public authorities or bodies' (as well as certain private organisations) to appoint a Data Protection Officer (DPO). The GDPR places specific obligations on DPOs, requiring them to report to the highest level of management. A DPO does not need to be a lawyer, and may be an employee or engaged under a service contract, but he/she should possess expert knowledge of data protection law and practices.

Public bodies will be required to communicate contact details of DPOs to the Data Protection Commissioner's Office (ODPC). This requirement, along with a new obligation for organisations to keep records of data processing activities, replaces the current requirement for organisations to register with the ODPC. (ii) Accountability The GDPR introduces a new concept of 'accountability', which requires all organisations to be able to demonstrate how they comply with their data protection responsibilities. Organisations will also have a mandatory obligation to adopt 'a privacy by design and by default' approach when developing new systems, products and services, to ensure data privacy is considered at the outset rather than an afterthought.

In addition, Privacy Impact Assessments must be carried out where processing activities are likely to result in a 'high risk' to individuals' rights.

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(iii) Privacy Notices All organisations will have to provide a whole myriad of additional information to individuals when they collect their data, to ensure their data processing activities are transparent. Existing privacy policies/notices will have to be reviewed to meet the increased information rights of individuals. For instance, individuals will have to be informed of the period for which their data will be retained; the legal basis for processing their data, and any international transfers of their data. Public bodies should be aware that the GDPR no longer permits them to rely on the 'legitimate interests' ground to legitimise their processing of personal data carried out in the performance of their functions. The GDPR also imposes greater restrictions on public bodies when transferring individuals' data outside the EEA. For example, public bodies cannot rely on an individuals' explicit consent or contractual necessity to legitimise international data transfers. (iv) Mandatory Data Breach Reporting All organisations will have a new mandatory obligation to report security breaches to the ODPC within 72 hours of becoming aware of a breach, unless there is unlikely to be a risk to the rights of individuals.

Individuals must also be informed of the breach, if there is a high risk to their rights. Public bodies will therefore need to review and revise data breach response plans to ensure that breaches can be speedily reported. (v) Reformed Relationship with third party service providers The GDPR increases the contractual and statutory obligations of processors (i.e. third party service providers) with the result that they will be subject to fines by the ODPC and compensation claims from individuals. The GDPR contains a list of specific contractual obligations of processors which must be included in outsourcing contracts. It will therefore be necessary for public bodies to review and revise their outsourcing contracts, prior to May 2018, to ensure they clearly set out responsibilities and liabilities of both parties.

Stronger individuals' rights The GDPR strengthens individuals' rights in relation to their personal data, including a reformed right of access, a new right to request data portability; broader rights to erasure; objection or restriction of their data; a right to rectification of inaccurate or incomplete data, and a right not to be subject to automated decision-making (including profiling) which produces a legal or other significant effect on them. Public bodies will need to ensure that staff are adequately trained and able to respond to individuals' requests within the statutory time limit (one month).

Sanctions The GDPR gives the ODPC the power to impose hefty fines on all organisations of up to â‚Ź20m or 4% of annual turnover for non-compliance with the new rules. However, Member States have discretion on whether to impose fines on public bodies, and the ODPC has reportedly stated that the Irish Government are likely legislate for a position where pure public sector bodies, that don't have competitors in the private sector, will not have administrative fines levied against them. Rather, the ODPC will continue itĘźs engaged approach with such public bodies, highlighting any deficiencies in their data protection practices and, when necessary, naming and shaming them in her Annual Report.

Any derogations from the GDPR, will be set out in the Data Protection Bill, which the Irish Government is currently drafting.

In addition, individuals will have the right to bring compensation claims for pecuniary or non-pecuniary loss (i.e. emotional distress) caused by a data breach. This is a significant change in the legal landscape, as the Irish courts have, to date, refused compensation for non-pecuniary loss resulting from a data breach.

Public bodies should start taking steps now to carry out an inventory of their data processing activities and assess what changes need to be made to their data protection policies/notices, procedures and contracts, to comply with the new rules, and mitigate the risk of hefty fines or compensation claims.

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88 REASONS TO CELEBRATE 30 YEARS OF BLUE FLAG IN IRELAND

Raising the Flag at the 2017 Blue Flag Awards Presentation Ceremony hosted by The Royal Cork Yacht Club, Crosshaven Co. Cork were: Ian Diamond, Coastal Awards Manager, An Taisce; Gavin Deane, General Manager of the Royal Cork Yacht Club and Senator Jerry Buttimer, FG.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of Blue Flag as an International Programme. The programme which began in France in 1985 was rolled out to 10 other countries, including Ireland in 1987 to mark the European Year of the Environment. The Blue Flag programme has gone from strength to over the years. In 1988, the first year Blue Flags were awarded across Europe, 19 bathing waters and 2 marinas in Ireland received the prestigious award. This year Blue Flags will fly over 81 coastal and inland bathing waters and 7 marinas around the country, the highest number in Ireland to date.

The Blue Flag award is a highly coveted international quality standard for beaches and marinas, which recognises clean, well-managed sites, and recognises excellence in water quality, safety, environmental management and education. Local Authorities are central to the delivery of the programme in Ireland, they apply for the award for bathing areas and marinas. In order to meet Blue Flag standards Local Authorities must also comply with criteria relating to water quality, sampling and analysis; provision of safety & services (e.g. toilets, life saving equipment & personnel, car parking) environmental education & information and environmental management (waste and litter management, creating pollution incident emergency plans, etc.).

The Environmental Education Unit of An Taisce (An Taisce EEU) with financial support from the Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government operates the Blue Flag in Ireland on behalf of the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE). FEE is an international organisation that has been promoting environmental education for sustainable development since 1981. More than 4250 beaches, marinas and sustainable boating tourism operators will be awarded in 47 countries globally this year.

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www.glasdon.com

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Positive Coverage of Positive Achievements

GILTRON LTD Tel: 00 353 46 9072841 Email: carmel@localauthoritynews.ie

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81 Coastal and inland bathing waters were awarded the Blue Flag for 2017 bathing season

On May 22nd An Taisce announced the International Blue Flag and Green Coast Award recipients for 2017 at the Royal Cork Yacht Club in Crosshaven, Co. Cork at.

Dr. Michael John OʼMahony, Director at An Taisceʼs Environmental Education Unit speaking at the awards said: “I would like to thanks and acknowledge the work of the Local Authorities and marina operators here today for all their efforts in ensuring that the sites being awarded for the 2017 bathing season have achieved the excellent standards required by the Blue Flag and Green Coast Awards. I would also like to commend the many thousands of Clean Coasts volunteers who participate in community clean-ups and coastal enhancement projects in their local areas throughout the year. It is the work of the Local Authorities and Clean Coasts Volunteers that ensures that Irelandʼs fantastic beaches remain clean and safe for everyone to enjoy”.

The programme aims to raise environmental awareness and promote sound environmental management of beaches, marinas and inland bathing waters around the world. The 81 Irish beaches and 7 marinas that have achieved this accolade must adhere to specific criteria related to water quality, information provision, environmental education, safety and site management.

The number of sites receiving the award is up 3 on 2016, the Blue Flag will be raised for the first time at both Portumna in County Galway and at Greencastle Marina in County Donegal. Bray South Promenade regains Blue Flag status, having not flown the Flag since 2000. Redbarn and Garretstown in Cork and Ross in County Mayo also regained Blue Flag status lost in 2016.

For more information of the Blue Flag Programme log onto: www.blueflagireland.org

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61 BEACHES RECEIVE THE GREEN COAST AWARD FOR THE 2017 BATHING SEASON The Green Coast Award recognises beaches for their clean environment, excellent water quality and natural beauty. An important aspect of the Green Coast Awards is the involvement of Clean Coasts groups of which there are now over 500 comprised of thousands of volunteers throughout the island. These volunteers participate in community clean-ups and coastal enhancement projects at their local beaches throughout the year.

61 beaches in Ireland were awarded the Green Coast Award this year an all-time high and an increase in 5 awards over last yearʼs total.

Castlegregory; Littor; Waterville and Ballinskelligs in Kerry received the award for the first time, while Ballyallia Lake in Clare became the first inland water to receive a Green Coast Award. Castlegregory; Littor; Waterville and Ballinskelligs in Kerry received Green Coast Awards for the first time.

The Arán Islandʼs has two Green Coast Award sites: Trá Inis Oirr, pictured above, and Trá gCaorach, Inis Oirr

Castlegregory; Littor; Waterville and Ballinskelligs in Kerry received Green Coast Awards for the first time.

Fountainstown and Rocky Bay in Cork have regained the award for 2017 and Cullenstown Strand in Wexford has been awarded for the first time since 2011.

Community groups liaise with Local Authorities in the production of beach management plans and are involved in the implementation of these plans. This process gives the people who are most affected by such plans, a say in how Northwest Playground Clean Coasts Group after a successful clean-up they should be designed and at Streedagh Beach in County Sligo implemented. The plans must be sensitive to conservation sites of national and international importance and ensure that they are implemented in line with international beach management best practice.

The Green Coast Awards were originally part of an inter-reg funded project between Wales and the South East.

With support from the Department of the Housing, Planning, Community & Local Government the programme was expanded nationwide in 2008. The award is also sponsored by Fáilte Ireland and Coca-Cola. The Award is also run in Northern Ireland by Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful and in Wales by Keep Wales Tidy.

For more information of the Green Coasts Programme log onto: www.cleancoasts.org/gca

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Sligoʼs Blue Flag and Green Coast Beaches osses Point beach retains its Blue Flag as An Taisce celebrates 30 years of the international Blue Flag Programme.

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Sligo was awarded a Blue Flag Award for Rosses Point, with Green Coast Awards going to Rosses Point, Dunmoran and Streedagh.

Rosses Point is only one of five beaches in the country to have A ʻDual awardʼ for both Blue Flag and Green Coast status.

Rosses Point was awarded its first Blue Flag in 1988, the first year the Programme operated in Ireland.

Achieving these internationally recognised awards of excellence is a result of meeting stringent criteria which includes excellent water quality, environmental management, safety and services and the provision of environmental education information.

Maintenance of Blue Flag and Green Coast beaches involves the ongoing commitment from the Councilʼs Environmental Services staff to ensure that the strict award criteria are met. A rigorous programme of monitoring and review of beach management protocols is followed. A high level of cooperation across various Council departments is also required along with working in partnership with other agencies such as An Taisce and the local communities, in particular Clean Coast Groups.

The Council also works continuously to bring some of its other beautiful beaches up to award standard.

Come visit Sligo and experience it for yourself.

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EPA report - Bathing Water Quality in Ireland A Report for the Year 2016 Three quarters of Irelandʼs bathing waters are ʻExcellentʼ quality for third year in a row; six beaches fail to make the grade.

• 93% of identified bathing waters (130 of 140) meeting minimum EU standards.

• Almost three quarters of all identified bathing waters (102 of 140) were classed as ʻExcellentʼ – one more than 2015; a further 18 were classed as ʻGoodʼ, five more than in 2015.

• Six coastal bathing waters failed to meet the minimum mandatory standard and were classified ʻPoorʼ.

• Duncannon, Youghal Front Strand, and Rush South Beach showed improved performance in 2016; all now meet the ʻSufficientʼ standard.

• Assessment of water quality in 2016 was undertaken using data covering the 2013-2016 bathing seasons.

An EPA report, Bathing Water Quality in Ireland – A Report for the Year 2016, has found that the overall quality of Irelandʼs bathing waters remains very good with 130 of 140 identified waters meeting strict EU standards. The strict standards provide a high level of protection for bathers. Three quarters of bathing waters were classed as excellent, one more than 2015. However, six coastal bathing waters failed to meet the minimum standard and are classified as poor.

Speaking at the launch of the report, Dr Matt Crowe, Director of the Environmental Protection Agencyʼs (EPA) Office of Evidence and Assessment said, “All bathers are entitled to feel that they and their loved ones are safe from harm from the water they swim in when they spend a day at the beach. More needs to be done to provide a greater level of protection for bathers at beaches and other bathing areas vulnerable to pollution. It is simply unacceptable to have popular bathing areas classified as being of poor quality.”

The 2016 report found that: • In 2016, 92.9% of bathing waters (130 of 140) complied with EU minimum standards and were classified as achieving at least ʻSufficientʼ status.

• Three quarters of bathing waters (102 of 140, 72.9%) were classified as ʻExcellentʼ.

• A further 18 (12.9%) were classified as ʻGoodʼ.

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• 10 bathing areas (7.1%) were classified as being of ʻSufficientʼ water quality but remain at risk of episodic pollution events.

• 1 bathing water (Ardmore) was classed as ʻChangesʼ pending full assessment of the performance of a new wastewater treatment plant.

• 6 bathing waters (4.3%) failed to meet the minimum required standard and were classified as being of ʻPoorʼ quality. These were Ballyloughane (Galway City Council); Merrion Strand (Dublin City Council); Loughshinny (Fingal County Council); Portrane (Fingal County Council); Tran a bhForbacha (Galway County Council); Clifden (Galway County Council).

The 140 identified bathing waters are coastal or inland waters widely used by the public for bathing which are monitored, managed and assessed under the requirements of the 2008 Bathing Water Quality Regulations.

Peter Webster, EPA Senior Scientific Officer said, “Ireland has no shortage of beaches around our coast with excellent water quality. In addition to the 140 EU identified bathing waters assessed in this report, we also include details of 80 other waters where bathing occurs which are monitored by local authorities. While these do not come under the legal framework of the Bathing Water Regulations it is important to let the public know about their water quality and we would like to see many of them included in the national monitoring programme in the future.”

Bathing waters are evaluated using a 4-year assessment period. This means their classification can be influenced by poorer results from previous bathing seasons. Three bathing waters classified as ʻPoorʼ in 2016 Ballyloughane, Merrion Strand, and Loughshinny - were also ʻPoorʼ in 2015. The EPA report shows that these waters are all vulnerable to pollution events. The relevant local authorities, in conjunction with Irish Water, have plans in place to tackle the main pollution risks at these beaches with a view to improving them to at least ʻSufficientʼ quality.

Concluding, Peter Webster explained how the public could access current information about bathing water quality, “Throughout the season, current water quality information and details of any incidents affecting bathing waters will be displayed on the national bathing water website, splash.epa.ie. Bathers visiting these waters are advised to check the website and their local beach notice boards for information on current water quality.

A Twitter notification service, @EPABathingWater, is also available to provide incident alerts and information of interest to bathers.”

The summary report Bathing Water Quality in Ireland – A Report for the Year 2016 and map of the quality of Irelandʼs bathing water sites are now available. http://www.epa.ie/pubs/reports/water/bathing/bathingwaterqualityinireland2016.html http://www.epa.ie/pubs/reports/water/bathing/bathingwaterqualitymap2016bathingseason.html

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Denis Naughten TD Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment has announced that grant funding of â‚Ź26 million has been approved for 44 community energy projects across Ireland. he projects were successful in their applications under this year's round of the Better Energy Communities (BEC) scheme administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland on behalf of the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment.

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This year's funding will provide for energy efficiency upgrades to more than 2,013 homes, of which 1,510 are energy poor, and a further 479 community, public and commercial facilities. The projects include a wide range of upgrades to fabric (insulation), heating systems, lighting and solar heating. The total investment in energy efficiency is almost â‚Ź67 million, supporting more than 1,000 jobs in the construction sector right across the country.

Minister Naughten said: "Over 350,000 people across Ireland have improved the energy efficiency in their homes through Government grants and specifically 300 community energy projects have received funding and support over the past five years, resulting in 15,000 homes and hundreds of community, private and public buildings improving their energy efficiency.

"Engaging with communities is the best way to convince people of the benefits of energy efficiency and to support them in making the buildings they use in their daily lives more comfortable, healthier and cheaper to heat and light. Energy and Climate Action are inextricably linked. Using less energy, and using it more efficiently, is the most cost effective and accessible way for us all to take action on climate change.

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"Last week I announced a new €5 million euro scheme for householders to financially assist them in deep retrofitting their homes to an 'A' BER rating. Works supported by my Department's energy efficiency programmes also create jobs and support the local economy. Community based organisations are now training people to become experts in installing energy efficiency technologies and carry out energy efficient improvements to houses.

"There is now much more grounds for optimism about the potential economic opportunities of climate change, or more specifically, the transition to a low-carbon, climate resilient, economy. By doing this people will become more involved in the energy transition within their own communities and see the difference that moving away from fossil fuels can have on their lives and in their communities."

Jim Gannon, CEO of the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland said: "Building community activity is essential to our low carbon transition. This programme and our Sustainable Energy Communities network, which now has over 60 members, provide a growing number of communities with support, advice and confidence, alongside grant aid, to determine their own pathway to a lower carbon future.

"We must continue to grow these competencies as work in parallel to find more effective ways of funding energy efficiency and low carbon technologies."

Some of the projects that have been successful in this year's scheme include: • Energy Communities Tipperary Cooperative (ECTC) and beyond seek to extend and continue its endeavour to reduce CO2 emissions throughout Tipperary and neighbouring counties by retrofitting 95 homes and 4 Community buildings. ECTC's projects are based in communities in Tipperary and adjoining counties.

• Arranmore Island Donegal is part of a 5-Year Sustainable Community Development Plan. It is a partnership with Arranmore Island Energy Committee and SE Systems, experienced in delivering similar projects to Island Communities. The project is based primarily in Arranmore, a Gaeltacht that lies three miles off the Donegal Coast on the Northwest corner of Ireland. The application also includes Community partners with the broader mainland Donegal population. The project forms part of the Arranmore Energy Plan 2012-2032, a long-term vision for Sustainable Development on the Island.

• Leitrim Sustainable Energy Community: This project is a collaboration of newly formed Sustainable Energy Communities (SECs) in the North West region. HSE Estates North West (Sligo SEC member) is acting as Lead Applicant, and working with North Leitrim SEC and Mohill Community Development Association (Mohill SEC) to deliver a pilot scale BEC project in Co. Leitrim. The pilot scale has been chosen to reduce project risk, financing, and to allow the SECs to learn from the process and to use the project as a demonstration platform to their wider communities. The objective will be to publicise and showcase this pilot scale project in order to develop more comprehensive and inclusive community energy projects in future BEC and SEC initiatives.

This year's BEC scheme also made funding available for the first time for combined fabric upgrades in homes. This means that homes undertake to improve the energy efficiency of their home before moving on to install renewable heating solutions. Deep retrofit is a focus of SEAI's work in 2017.

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IRISH WATER & WASTEWATER SUPPLEMENT 2017

• Key milestone in Cork lower harbour main drainage project • Over 42,000 people will benefit from a €10.5 million investment at Ballyboden water treatment plant • Official opening of the new Fethard water supply scheme • Construction begins on €10m extension of lough mask water supply to Ballinlough and Williamstown

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CONTENTS IRISH WATER & WASTEWATER SUPPLEMENT 2017

FEATURES IRISH WATER MARKS KEY MILESTONE IN CORK LOWER HARBOUR MAIN DRAINAGE PROJECT

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Published by: GILTRON LTD RIVERVIEW LODGE,

OVER 42,000 PEOPLE WILL BENEFIT FROM A €10.5 MILLION INVESTMENT AT BALLYBODEN WATER TREATMENT PLANT

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DUBLIN ROAD, NAVAN, CO. MEATH.

CATHAOIRLEACH OF SLIGO COUNTY COUNCIL ENDORSES THE NEED FOR VITAL INVESTMENT BY IRISH WATER

Tel: 00353 46 9072841

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Email: info@localauthoritynews.ie Website: www.localauthoritynews.ie

Designed & produced by Donnelly Design & Print Ltd.

ISSN NO. 1393-0394 LAN is available FREE OF CHARGE to all Local and Central Government Bodies throughout Ireland.

Published bi-monthly it is disseminated to Local Authority Managers, Assistant Managers, County Secretaries, Finance Officers, Principal Officers, Department Heads, County Engineers, City Engineers, Chief Quantity Surveyors, Senior Architects, Plant Superintendents, Senior Executive Engineers, Town Clerks, Purchasing Officers, Administrative Officers, Inspectors, Park Superintendents, County Librarians, etc. in all Government Departments, County Councils, Corporations, Office of Public Works, Urban District Councils, StateSponsored and Development Bodies and Agencies.

€1.1 MILLION INVESTMENT PLANNED TO IMPROVE FINTOWN WATER SUPPLY 9 OFFICIAL OPENING OF THE NEW FETHARD WATER SUPPLY SCHEME

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CONSTRUCTION BEGINS ON €10M EXTENSION OF LOUGH MASK WATER SUPPLY TO BALLINLOUGH AND 15 WILLIAMSTOWN NEW OWENTESKNA WATER TREATMENT PLANT WILL BENEFIT ALMOST 4,000 17 CONSUMERS NECESSARY UPGRADE COMPLETED TO THE MOATE WATER SUPPLY IN CO. 18 WESTMEATH ADVANCED COAGULANT CONTROL CSL 19

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Irish Water marks key milestone in Cork Lower Harbour Main Drainage Project Minister Simon Coveney visits new wastewater treatment plant at Shanbally to mark commencement of operations and 50% reduction in raw sewage flowing into the harbourIrish Water, in partnership with Cork County Council, marked a key milestone in the €117 million Cork Lower Harbour Main Drainage Project with the official announcement that the Shanbally Wastewater Treatment Plant has commenced operations and that 50% of the raw sewage previously discharging into the lower harbour from Carrigaline, Crosshaven and Shanbally is now treated and returned safely to sea.

From left to right: Richard Kent, Déaglán Healy, Brendan Hoare, Catherine Sheridan, Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government Simon Coveney, Michael G OʼSullivan, Kevin O'Leary and John Buckley.

The project is delivering significant improvements to water quality in Cork Lower Harbour by ending the current practice of the discharge of raw sewage directly into the harbour. This scheme is designed to cater for the 20,000 existing homes and businesses along with planned domestic and commercial developments and future developments. The project is critical in terms of protecting the environment, facilitating economic development and providing for a growing population.

In addition to the commencement of operations at the treatment plant at Shanbally, work has also recently started on the repair and upgrade of the sewerage network on the south side of Cork Lower Harbour including Carrigaline, Monkstown, Passage West and Ringaskiddy, and work in Cobh is expected to start in 2018. On completion of the project all wastewater from Cobh, Passage West, Glenbrook, Monkstown, Carrigaline, Ringaskiddy and Shanbally will be diverted to the new wastewater treatment plant at Shanbally.

Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government, Simon Coveney TD, joined other Oireachtas members and members of Cork County Council for a tour of the site in Shanbally.

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Minister Coveney commented “This project is hugely important to improving the quality of water in Cork Lower Harbour. This will bring huge benefits to communities right across the harbour as we seek to promote this fantastic amenity at the heart of our city for visitors and residents alike. It is shocking that raw sewage has been discharged for so many years directly to the harbour, but we are now addressing this problem with an investment in wastewater infrastructure that will facilitate future growth and development and support tourism across the region

.I am delighted to see that so much progress has already been made and that the wastewater treatment plant at Shanbally is now operational. Weʼve halved the level of raw sewage flowing directly into the harbour and we will continue to see the benefits as more areas are connected to the new treatment plant over the coming years. This investment by Irish Water highlights the need for a national utility with the expertise and funding to address the deficits in water and wastewater infrastructure throughout the State .”Katherine Walshe, Southern Regional Operations Manager with Irish Water, said “The development of worldclass water and wastewater infrastructure is the priority for Irish Water, and the completion of this new innovative wastewater treatment plant for Cork Lower Harbour is testament to our commitment to delivering on this. The provision of a secondary wastewater treatment plant for Cork Lower Harbour is a requirement under both European and national legislation and we are delighted that wastewater from Carrigaline, Crosshaven and Shanbally is today being treated at the plant.

“We continue to progress with the development of the sewer network across the harbour to ensure that all wastewater is subject to full treatment by 2019. This is part of a long-term investment in wastewater in Cork, as part of our national commitment to ending the practice of discharging untreated sewage to rivers and the sea by 2021. We thank the local communities for their support to date and we will continue to work closely with local residents and businesses to ensure this work can be carried out with the minimum level of inconvenience and disruption. ”The Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr Seamus McGrath, added “This event marks a major milestone in the Cork Lower Harbour Main Drainage Project. Before this project got underway, an average of 40,000 wheelie bins worth of raw sewage were being discharged into the harbour every day. This is now been reduced by half and by the time this project is complete, it will have been reduced to zero. This is great news for the environment, the people of Cork and the future of our harbour.”

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Over 42,000 people will benefit from a €10.5 million investment at Ballyboden Water Treatment Plant The investment will provide safe and secure drinking water for communities in Dublin City, Dún Laoghaire- Rathdown and South Dublin County Irish Water is working in partnership with Dublin City Council to upgrade Ballyboden Water Treatment Plant.

The existing Ballyboden site has an open water reservoir which stores treated drinking water prior to its distribution to customers. The €10.5 million investment includes the construction of a covered reservoir to store 16 million litres of treated drinking water, the decommissioning of the existing open storage reservoir at the site and work to upgrade the disinfection process at the treatment plant.

The contract to carry out the works on behalf of Irish Water was recently signed by Coffey Construction Limited and work will commence in the coming weeks. As part of the upgrade the existing reservoir embankments will be retained during the decommissioning of the current open storage reservoir.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued a direction under the Drinking Water Regulations to cease the storage of uncovered treated drinking water at the Ballyboden Water Treatment Plant. The open storage of treated drinking water can give rise to re-contamination of the water as it is exposed to the environment. This project will also facilitate the removal of the Ballyboden drinking water supply from the EPAʼs remedial action list.

William McKnight, Asset Delivery Infrastructure Regional Lead at Irish Water said “The upgrade to the Ballyboden Water Treatment Plant and Reservoir is a priority project for Irish Water. This project is necessary to ensure a secure and sustainable supply of water to over 42,000 people in Dublin City, Dún LaoghaireRathdown and South Dublin County. After almost 130 years serving the community, the Ballyboden Reservoir will be modernised to adequately meet current requirements and the needs of future generationsʼʼ.

Irish Water spent over €530 million on water services in 2016. Capital investment in the region of €700 million per year is needed for a sustained period of several decades to address the poor condition of Irelandʼs water infrastructure. Works have been prioritised to address the most critical issues in line with commitments outlined in Irish Waterʼs Business Plan up to 2021. Delivery of the business plan will involve a €5.5 billion investment in capital spending on drinking water and wastewater quality and capacity and new infrastructure up to 2021 while achieving efficiencies of €1.6 billion.

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Cathaoirleach of Sligo County Council endorses the need for vital investment by Irish Water Work is progressing on track on the Sligo City Watermain Rehabilitation and Pearse Road Sewer Network Project according to Irish Water with the contractors on track for a May 2018 completion date. Cathaoirleach of Sligo County Council, Cllr Hubert Keaney visited the site on Friday to view the progress being made. The €6.8 million investment by Irish Water in Sligo City, in partnership with Sligo County Council, involves the replacement and rehabilitation of ageing watermains, installation of new sewers and replacement of all service connections.

The project will benefit residents and businesses by reducing leakage and bursts and improving water quality and supply to consumers. To date works in Cleveragh Road, Tonaphubble Lane, John Street and Smiths Row have been completed. Works are ongoing on JFK Parade with road closures planned for JFK parade from 10 - 19 May. Padraig Hanly, Irish Waterʼs Infrastructure Programme Regional Lead, commented “The contractor has been progressing well with the works programme. To date they have completed mains laying works in Cleveragh Road, Tonaphubble Lane and have moved to the city centre where works will continue to progress over the coming weeks.

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The contractor will notify residents and businesses in advance of any planned works as they progress through their works programme. This investment will greatly improve the water infrastructure for residents and business owners in Sligo City. The replacement of these ageing watermains will improve the security of supply to customers and will also ensure that the existing and future residential and commercial development needs of the town are served. Water quality will also be improved by replacing existing cast iron pipes with new plastic polyethylene pipes.”

Ward and Burke Construction Limited are the appointed contractors for this project which involves the replacement and rehabilitation of approximately 8.7km of ageing watermains, the installation of 1.5km of foul and storm sewers in the Pearse Road area and the replacement of all service connections including any lead services encountered.

The project will also deliver financial savings over the medium and long term through reduced maintenance costs associated with the upgraded pipeline.

Following last Fridayʼs site visit, Cllr Keaney said “The replacement of these ageing watermains that are prone to frequent bursts will improve the service being supplied to the people of Sligo. This partnership between Irish Water and Sligo County Council will lead to significant improvements and is universally welcomed by local householders and businesses.

I want to commend the project team for their work to date and acknowledge the patience and understanding of the people directed affected by the ongoing work.”

This project forms part of Irish Waterʼs Investment Plan. Works have been prioritised to address the most critical issues in line with commitments outlined in Irish Waterʼs Business Plan. Delivery of the business plan will involve a €5.5 billion investment in capital spending on drinking water and wastewater quality and capacity and new infrastructure up to 2021.

The work sections on this project will be limited to short sections to minimise impact on residents, businesses and road users. The works will involve some short-term water shut offs for a number of hours over a day or two in each area when the pipes are being connected to the system. The project team will ensure that householders and businesses are advised of any works in their area in advance and will be given a minimum of 48 hours prior notice of any planned water shut offs.

The project team will notify the local community in advance of planned works in their areas and provide contact details should they have any queries. The team will work closely with businesses to minimise any potential disruption and with An Garda Síochána to manage traffic while the works are underway.

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€1.1 million investment planned to improve Fintown water supply ater consumers in the Fintown area of Co. Donegal are set to benefit from a €1.1 million investment by Irish Water which will connect the Fintown water supply to the Glenties supply and ensure improved water quality to the Fintown area.

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As part of the project Irish Water is replacing almost 5km of watermains in the Glenties, Fintown and Meenahalla areas as well as the construction of two booster pumping stations.

This supply is on the Environmental Protection Agencyʼs (EPA) Remedial Action List (RAL) for high levels of THMs and these works are being undertaken to remove any risk posed by THMs. Breaking down the works, Irish Water will replace 1km of watermains in Fintown, 2.9km in Glenties and 800m in Meenahalla. The two booster pumping stations will be constructed at Shallogans and Straboy.

Irish Waterʼs Capital Programme Project Manager, Patrick Carty, said “These important works for the Fintown area have commenced and are expected to be completed in the next three to four months. The Fintown water supply is currently on the EPAʼs RAL due to elevated levels of THMs above the standard in the Drinking Water Regulations and these works will improve the quality of water in the Fintown area by connecting to the Glenties water supply.”

Irish Water has put in place the first national THM plan and a prioritised programme of investment to address all inadequacies in drinking water parameters including THMs. By 2021 the utility plans to reduce the number of schemes on the RAL to zero with an investment of €327 million in upgrading water supplies at risk from THMs. THMs, or trihalomethanes, are chemicals formed by the reaction of naturally occurring dissolved organic material with chlorine which is used for disinfection in order to protect against pathogenic bacteria.

Strategic Watermain Link between the Peamount and Saggart Reservoirs is progressing I

rish Water is progressing this strategic project to provide connectivity between the major treated water reservoirs at Peamount and Saggart in South County Dublin. Once complete, this project will increase the security of water supply to Dublin City and South County Dublin.

Irish Water published confirmation of the Compulsory Purchase Order for land purchase, permanent wayleaves, permanent right of way and temporary working areas at Loughtown Upper, Peamount, Keeloges, Westmanstown, Blundelstown, Collegeland, Baldonnel, Rathcoole and Saggart in South County Dublin.

This CPO is required for the construction of approximately 7 kilometres of large diameter trunk wtermains between the existing major treated water storage reservoirs at Peamount and Saggart in South County Dublin. As part of this project a pumping station will also be constructed at Peamount. The works will take place near the towns of Newcastle, Rathcoole and Saggart in County Dublin. The water main will be laid in agricultural fields and through Rathcoole Park between Rathcoole and Saggart.

Commenting on the announcement William McKnight, Asset Delivery Infrastructure East and Mid-lands Regional Lead at Irish Water, said “This project is of strategic importance to Dublin City and South County Dublin. Upon completion of the project, the new pipeline will increase Irish Water’s ability to distribute treated drinking water in the Greater Dublin Area and the surrounding region and thereby increase the security of the water supply for residents and businesses.”

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Official opening of the new Fethard Water Supply Scheme rish Water and Tipperary County Council have welcomed the official opening of the Fethard Water Supply Scheme

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which will result in over 7,000 local customers benefiting from a more secure and reliable water supply.The new water treatment plant in Fethard was developed as part of a €15.2 million investment by Irish Water in South Tipperary, which also included the upgrade of the Burncourt Water Supply Scheme.

Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government, Simon Coveney TD, was in Fethard for the official opening and unveiled a plaque to mark the event at the new water treatment plant.

The Fethard Water Supply Scheme involved the construction of a new 6,500 cubic metres per day water treatment plant, a 6,500 cubic metre reservoir, approximately 4km of pipelines, new river intake works on the Anner River and associated site works. The new plant is supplied by four different water sources.

The Fethard Regional Water Supply Scheme, which dates back to the 1950s, serves the towns of Fethard and Killenaule together with a large rural area of approximately 480 square kilometres extending northward from Slievenamon to the North Tipperary border.

The completion of the plant last October enabled the lifting of long-standing boil water notices and the subsequent removal of the Cloran and Gortnapisha supplies from the EPAʼs Remedial Action List.

Speaking at the opening ceremony in the Cloneen Sports and Social Club, Jerry Grant, Managing Director of Irish Water, said: “The investment in upgrading this water supply scheme in Fethard will have significant long term benefits for all our customers in the area, providing a much improved water supply that meets all health standards and supporting agricultural, commercial, rural and community development.

“Combined with the recently opened Burncourt Water Supply Scheme, this represents an investment of over €15 million in Co Tipperary by Irish Water. In addition to this, we have invested over €7 million in the rehabilitation of 18.3km of water mains in the area, notably in the historic town of Fethard. This work is all part of Irish Waterʼs commitment to ensuring a safe and secure water supply for communities and businesses.”

Minister Coveney commented: “I am very pleased to open this Water Treatment Plant in Fethard. This investment by Irish Water will ensure that the community can enjoy a secure and reliable water supply now and into the future.

“This investment in water services is essential to ensure the health and wellbeing of the local community while also enhancing the potential for future social and economic development in this region.”

Leas-Cathaoirleach of Tipperary County Council, Cllr Louise McLoughlin, said: “I welcome this investment in the Fethard Water Supply Scheme to bring the quality of drinking water in the area up to the highest standards. Having a quality water supply is essential for residents as well as local businesses and farmers.”

This project forms part of Irish Waterʼs investment plan where works have been prioritised to address the most critical issues in line with commitments outlined in Irish Pictured at the opening of the Fethard Water Supply Scheme Waterʼs business plan. Delivery of the business plan were Cllr Louise McLoughlin, Leas-Cathaoirleach of Tipperary will involve a €5.5bn investment in capital spending County Council, Jerry Grant, Managing Director of Irish Water, on drinking water and wastewater quality and capacity Simon Coveney TD, Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government and Joe MacGrath, Tipperary County and new infrastructure up to 2021.

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Other significant investments by Irish Water in Co Tipperary include the upgrade of the Burncourt Water Supply Scheme; investment to improve water quality and reduce leakage on the scheme serving Temple-etney, Killurney, Graigue and Ballypatrick; progress of the Thurles Regional Water Supply Scheme, to be tendered in 2017; and an upgrade of the Clonmel Water Supply Scheme and associated storage, while planning for a major new scheme based on abstraction from the River Suir at Marlfield.

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Construction begins on €10m extension of Lough Mask water supply to Ballinlough and Williamstown One-utility approach will bring a safe and secure water supply across county boundaries benefitting a further 5,000 consumers Irish Water working in partnership with, Mayo, Roscommon and Galway County Councils marked the start of construction on the extension of the Lough Mask Regional Water Supply to Ballinlough in Co. Roscommon and Williamstown in Co. Galway with a sod turning event.

Michael Tinsley, Irish Waterʼs Infrastructure Portfolio Delivery Manager and representatives of Mayo County Council at extension of Lough Mask Water Supply to Roscommon and Galway

This project represents an investment of €10 million by Irish Water and will ensure a clean and secure supply of drinking water for the 5,000 consumers on the two supplies while also allowing for the removal of the a long-standing boil water notice in Ballinlough, Co. Roscommon affecting 3,600 of those consumers.

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Both the Ballinlough and Williamstown water supplies are also on the Environmental Protection Agencyʼs (EPA) Remedial Action List (RAL). Upon completion of these works the existing Ballinlough and Williamstown water treatment plants will be decommissioned.

Speaking at the event, Michael Tinsley, Irish Waterʼs Infrastructure Portfolio Delivery Manager commented: “This project will provide a long term solution to long term problems experienced by the people of Ballinlough and Williamstown. The good news for the people who are to benefit from this major investment is that they will enjoy a consistent supply of high quality drinking water without the need to boil it. The project outlines the importance of a one-utility approach to the provision of water services where a major source will supply three counties and ensure compliance with requirements set out in the EU Drinking Water Directive and national drinking water regulations.”

Irish Water has appointed BSG Civil Engineering Limited to carry out the works which are on track to be completed in one year.

The works include the construction of over 22 kilometres of new water mains, a new water pumping station at the Ballyhaunis reservoir, and the construction of a new reservoir and control building at the site of the existing Garranlahan water tower near Ballinlough. The existing Ballinlough and Williamstown water treatment plants will be decommissioned as a result of this robust solution to the long-standing water problems experienced in both of these areas.

Commenting on the investment, Peter Hynes, CE at Mayo County Council outlined ʻʼWe welcome the major investment that has taken place at the Lough Mask Water Treatment Plant and this further €10 million investment by Irish Water will ensure provision of a high quality, reliable water benefitting residents and businesses in three counties. This project is being delivered by the joint efforts of Irish Water, Mayo, Roscommon and Galway County Councils and demonstrates best practice in multi-agency collaboration.”

This project forms part of Irish Waterʼs investment plan where works have been prioritised to address the most critical issues in line with commitments outlined in Irish Waterʼs business plan. Delivery of the business plan will involve a €5.5bn investment in capital spending on drinking water and wastewater quality and capacity and new infrastructure up to 2021.

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New Owenteskna Water Treatment Plant will benefit almost 4,000 consumers rish Water and Donegal County Council marked the start of construction on the €4 million investment by the national utility in a new water treatment plant at Owenteskna to benefit almost 4,000 consumers in the South West Donegal area.

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D avid McLoone, Irish Waterʼs Infrastructure Programme Regional Lead, and the Minister of State for the Diaspora and Overseas Development Aid, Joe McHugh TD turned the sod at the site of the new Owenteskna Water Treatment Plant (WTP) this afternoon. When completed the new plant will benefit consumers in South West Donegal covering the area west of Killybegs including Kilcar, Carrick and Glencolmcille.

The contract was awarded to Coffey Water Limited on November 14 2016 who will carry out the works on the behalf of Irish Water. Work has now commenced on the project and is expected to be completed by the end of 2017.

Explaining the need for the works Mr McLoone said “The scheme is supplied from Lough Nalughraman, an impounded upland source which provides a good quality raw water supply. The lake water receives minimal treatment consisting of screening and disinfection. As a result, the Owenteskna/Kilcar Water Supply scheme is on the Environmental Protection Agencyʼs (EPA) Remedial Action List (RAL). Irish Water has committed to constructing this brand new water treatment plant in response to the EPAʼs RAL and to meet the needs of consumers on the scheme.”

This contract will see the construction of a state of the art water treatment plant on a new site at Owenteskiny Townland, Carrick, in the vicinity of the existing disinfection house. The new treatment plant will comprise a robust coagulation, flocculation and clarification process, followed by rapid gravity filtration, with UV disinfection added to mitigate against the risk of contamination.

Commenting at todayʼs sod-turning event Minister McHugh added “This new treatment plant will greatly benefit the future economic and population development of the South West area of Donegal. The new plant will ensure compliant water which meets all EU and Irish standards for almost 4,000 consumers and we look forward to returning here for the official opening of this plant and the schemeʼs removal from the EPAʼs RAL. ” The new treatment plant has a design output of two million litres per day and the contract also includes for treated water storage at the treatment plant and for source protection works and access improvements to the source. The project is being delivered in partnership with Donegal County Council and when completed and tested, this contract will enable this water supply to be removed from the EPAʼs RAL and will ensure consumers will receive a reliable supply of high quality drinking water. Representing Donegal County Council Cllr Niamh Kennedy added “On behalf of Donegal County Council I welcome this investment by Irish Water in the Owenteskna Water Supply Scheme which is essential for the provision of a safe and compliant water supply which will meet EU standards. I look forward to coming back here for the official opening of this plant at the end of the year and the removal of this scheme from the EPA's RAL.” This project forms part of the major investment of €73 million committed by Irish Water to water supply projects in Co Donegal and forms part of Irish Waterʼs investment plan where works have been prioritised to address the most critical issues in line with commitments outlined in Irish Waterʼs business plan. Delivery of the business plan will involve a €5.5bn investment in capital spending on drinking water and wastewater quality and capacity and new infrastructure up to 2021.

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Necessary upgrade completed to the Moate Water Supply in Co. Westmeath Investment has improved the security of the water supply and water pressure to homes and businesses in Moate Town.

Irish Water has completed necessary upgrade works to the Moate Water Supply. The €60,000 investment has increased the water pressure and improved the security of the water supply for residents and businesses in Moate. The project involved construction of a booster pump station at Mount Temple Road, Moate and the decommissioning of the Ballinderry Water Treatment Plant. The water supply for customers in Moate Town will now be served from the Mullingar Low Level Reservoir which is treated at the Portloman Water Treatment Plant in Mullingar.

This project has ensured that over 150 residents and businesses in Moate have improved water pressure to their properties. The Ballinderry Water Treatment Plant was an aging water treatment plant that was not operating efficiently. The decommissioning of this plant and supplying the drinking water to Moate Town from the Mullingar Low Level Reservoir has provided customers with a more secure water supply. The project has also ensured that Irish Water has replaced a water supply from an aging water treatment plant with a supply from a modern treatment plant.

Commenting on the investment Padraig Farrell, Capital Programme Lead, East and Midlands Region, said “This investment in the Moate Water Supply has improved the water supply for customers as they now have a securer water supply with increased water pressure to homes and businesses.”

Planning application to be submitted for new Kilmacrenan Wastewater Treatment Plant New plant will provide for sustainable economic and population development for next 25 years Irish Water will be submitting a planning application to Donegal County Council in the coming weeks for upgrade works at Kilmacrenan Wastewater Treatment Plant. If granted, the project will involve the construction of a new wastewater treatment plant which will allow the existing plant, which is operating above its capacity, to be decommissioned.

The new plant will double the current capacity and allow for sustainable economic and population development over the next 25 years. One of the other major benefits of the new plant is that it will ensure that treated effluent complies with the emission limit values outlined in the wastewater discharge license issued by the EPA. This project is part of the County Donegal Towns & Villages Sewerage Schemes and represents significant investment by Irish Water. It follows on from other sewerage projects already in progress in County Donegal including Ballybofey/Stranorlar Sewage Scheme, Glenties/Dungloe Wastewater Treatment Plants and the Donegal Group B Sewerage Scheme which includes new wastewater treatment plants at Killybegs, Bundoran, Glencolmcille and Convoy. These projects represent a combined €30.8 million investment by Irish water in the upgrade of wastewater infrastructure in Donegal.

The proposed works at Kilmacrenan will also involve the construction of a new outfall to the Lurgy River, a new boundary fence and upgrade works to the existing entrance road. The project will also involve raising the site to prevent flooding from the adjacent Lurgy River. During construction the old entrance to the Church of St Finian and St Mark's car park will be re-opened on a temporary basis for site access.

Irish Water will submit a planning permission application to Donegal County Council in the coming weeks in order to deliver these necessary upgrade works. If the application is approved the contract for the construction of the Kilmacrenan Wastewater Treatment Plant will go to tender in the third quarter of 2018.

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Advanced Coagulant Control. ike many water treatment plants in Ireland, Carlowʼs water sources suffer from high variability in water quality. This variability is common in river and lake intakes especially after a heavy rain event.

These sources are characterized by high concentrations of natural organic matter (NOM) which can produce unwanted by-products. The removal of NOM is a general requirement in producing this potable water and is carried out by the dosing of coagulants – usually Alum.

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Up to now the chemical dosing on these sites has been manual, making it both difficult and expensive to control. The dose rate used to be calculated based on manual Jar tests which the operator carried out periodically, usually once or twice a day however the parameters of the raw water source changes continuously.

For plant operators maintaining the floc used to settle and filter out the NOMs can be difficult and can result in too much chemical being added causing water discolouration and human health problems.

Under-dosing can affect the efficiency of the treatment plant and can lead to the treated water failing to meet the quality standards.

CSL, based in Carlow, were tasked with automating the coagulant dosing systems on 4 plants using a variety of control measures including UV and streaming current. Since NOMs absorb light in the UV spectrum, the Irish Water approach is based on a measured increase in UV absorbance which indicates increasing NOM concentration and hence increasing coagulant demand.

In-line Ultraviolet (UVA) monitors were installed on all 4 plants along with streaming current, pH and other instruments. Auxiliary signals already on site were also used as a control measure e.g. raw water turbidity and flow. All sites were fitted with a set of new digital dosing pumps with changeover arrangement.

On some sites the pH had to be adjusted to optimise dosing, which required additional dosing equipment and control. The dosing can be controlled using different combinations of parameters and each can act to verify signals from the others. The control system can also seamlessly tie in with existing PLCs and SCADAs on site.

CSL worked closely with the plant operator to build up confidence in the system. The parameters on site were monitored remotely for 3 months to build up the water profile before control was switched to automatic, initially controlled by streaming current. CSLʼs Control and Automation Manager, Sean McGillicuddy, told us “the challenge for these sites is integrating existing equipment and site conditions to optimise new dosing control while working very closely with the plant operator and minimising disruption”.

The automated dosing is an aid to running the plant and now means rapid response to change in conditions, reduced chemical wastage, less Alum sludge, lower cost, fewer out-of-hours callouts and improved plant performance leading to better water quality.

For more information about Advanced Coagulant Control please visit www.csltd.ie and download the case study. If you would like to talk to CSL please call us on 059 9143464.

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Temporary Pumping

ʻAll hands to the pumpsʼ is a navy saying which conveys urgency and attention.

The image is of sailors desperately stroking pumps to stay afloat. No doubt they were grateful for the pumps.

Temporary pumping can be managed efficiently provided time & resources are available. Excessive localised rainfall, pumping station failure, are examples of events which afford little time for a normal managed response. In such circumstances, unlike our navy example, the pumping infrastructure may not even exist.

Where a temporary pumping project is unforeseen and volumes to be delivered are high ʻplan bʼ can be the only option. Here what happens is a function of whatever equipment & skills are available at very short notice. But we can look to improve results with contingency planning and widening our scope of supply to include specialist, temporary pumping, equipment suppliers.

The reason is the type of equipment available from regular suppliers is unlikely to suit the unforeseen and exceptional circumstance. Pumps, control equipment, and suitable large diameter hardware & pipework which are needed for high output performance are not stock items of regular suppliers.

It is also important to note is there are differences between the business models of various specialist pump companies. Some are geared toward serving permanent installations others towards short term work. These are different emphasis & differing skillsets and each have different equipment & expertise to offer.

Contingency planning for unforeseen pumping should include developing relations with specialist suppliers which have a short term, or temporary pumping, focus. It will allow access to the most suitable equipment, experience, & skills. It will deliver better solutions.

At Pump Supplies we offer the largest range of temporary pumping systems available in the Ireland & the UK.

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PRODUCT PRODUCTinfo info Who we are?

Glán Uisce Environmental Solutions Ltd was formed in 2014 by 2 Professionals with over 25 years combined experience working in the water and drainage industries. We provide innovative approaches to cleaning water mains and other various piping systems throughout the island of Ireland.

Ice Pigging of Water Mains & Pressurized Pipe Systems GUESL are working alongside SUEZ Advanced Solutions UK Ltd to offer Ice Pigging to a wide variety of clientele in various different industries. Our Ice Pigging Services offer a new and innovative sterile pipeline cleaning, solution for the water industry. Thick ice slurry is simply pumped into the pipeline forming a plug – “The Ice Pig”, which is capable of providing significantly increased levels of cleaning compared to conventional cleaning processes. The ice pig containing sediment/biofilm removed during cleaning, discharges from a hydrant/scour valve.

Cleaning, Repair, Sealing, Full Refurbishment of Tanks, Manholes & Reservoirs GUESL facilitate high pressure cleaning, repair of structural cracks & leaks, fitting of internal & external ladders & handrails, fitting of air vents & new manhole covers and removal of existing liner, pre-treatment, priming, levelling, coating and surface finishing.

All inspections cleaning & maintenance carried out by GUESL are in compliance with the EPA Drinking Water Advice Note No. 10: Service Reservoir Inspection, Cleaning and Maintenance.

Air Scouring of Water Mains Air Scouring works by injecting “oil free” compressed air into the mains via a hydrant to propel a small volume of water at high velocity. Air and water are ejected together with any sediment/solids from a hydrant at the end of the pipe being cleaned. The slugs of water formed between the compressed air removes any sediment adhered to the inner pipe surface.

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PRODUCT PRODUCTinfo info

Process Proving – Hard work but rewarding

Typically, after a new wastewater treatment plant has been constructed or there has been an upgrade to a plant, there will need to be a period of operation of the plant during normal conditions to effectively show that the plant can meet its design specification. For many plants, this will be a 28 day timeframe during which there is a highly intensive sampling and analysis schedule.

The Water Lab have assisted many contractors during this phase, when we have been able to sample on site 7 days a week, return the samples back to the laboratory for same day analysis and issue results within 24 hours of the test been completed. This ability to get quick turnaround of results has allowed contractors to closely monitor the performance of their plant during the process proving and make any adjustments necessary for the plant to deal with any fluctuations in both hydraulic or organic loading.

We are an ISO17025 accredited laboratory for many wastewater parameters and because of this our clients can full confidence in accurate, validated and traceable results. So if you are about to enter a process proving period, then call us so we can help you.

Unit C3, M4 Business Park, Celbridge, Co. Kildare Phone: (01) 627 5656 Email: info@thewaterlab.ie Website: www.thewaterlab.ie

AQUAFACT International Services Ltd. is an environmental consultancy based in Galway City and has been in operation for over 30 years. AQUAFACT has worked throughout Europe, the Middle East, Africa, North America and the Caribbean.

AQUAFACT was the first certified ISO 9001:2000 environmental consultancy established in Ireland.

We are highly experienced in carrying out a wide variety of marine, freshwater and terrestrial surveys for the water industry. Our expertise includes Appropriate Assessments, Assimilative Capacity Assessments, Macroinvertebrate and Water Quality Assessments (Q values and SSRS), Discharge Licence Applications, Hydrographic Surveys, Discharge Plume Dispersion Modelling, Fisheries Assessments, including electrofishing surveys and we are an EPA approved SSRS Training Provider.

We have also provided Ecological Clerks of Work to engineering and construction companies on a number of drainage projects.

12 Kilkerrin Park, Liosbaun, Galway 091-756812 • www.aquafact.ie • info@aquafact.ie LAN LOCAL AUTHORITY NEWS

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PRODUCT PRODUCTinfo info

The Cork Lower Harbour Main Drainage Project will significantly enhance the water quality in Cork Harbour. This €100 million investment by Irish Water is managed by consulting engineers Nichols OʼDwyer

Cork Lower Harbour, world renowned with a rich maritime history, supports employment, fosters tourism and provides many opportunities for water-based activities. However, water quality in the lower harbour is poor as a result of the discharge of untreated wastewater from Cobh, Carrigaline, Passage West/Monkstown and Ringaskiddy into the Harbour.

The Cork Lower Harbour Main Drainage Project will deliver: A new Wastewater Treatment Plant; 14 new pumping stations; Approximately 30km of new sewers; and A drilled crossing under the estuary.

The project already has already had a significant positive environmental impact with the commencement of operations in the new treatment plant at the end of December 2016, providing full treatment of all wastewater from houses and businesses in Carrigaline, Crosshaven and Shanbally and reducing discharges by 50%.

Unit E4, Nutgrove Office Park, Nutgrove Avenue, Dublin 14 T: +353 1 296 9000 • F: +353 1-296 9001 E: Dublin@nodwyer.com • www.nodwyer.com

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€2.8m Capital Funding Programme for 51 Harbour Projects Announced by Minister Creed The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed TD, today announced details of a €2.8m package to assist 13 Coastal Local Authorities undertake and complete 51 development and repair projects on harbours and slipways owned by them (see table for details). The package provides funding for maintenance and repair works in addition to supporting the ongoing development and enhancement of harbour facilities including some marine leisure developments.

The Minister said” I am delighted to announce the continuation of our programme to assist Coastal Local Authorities in the repair and development of fishery and aquaculture linked infrastructure in small harbours under their ownership.”

The Local Authority programme forms part of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marinesʼ 2017 Fishery harbour and Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme, whereby the Department co-funds up to 75% the total cost of approved projects with the Local Authority providing the balance.

The Minister went on to say “The Local Authority owned harbours in receipt of funding under this yearʼs programme are fundamental to the wellbeing of rural coastal communities and play an important social and economic role in their respective localities by contributing to the ongoing development of fishing related activities, increasing participation in marine leisure, and augmenting measures to attract greater numbers of tourists which ultimately create the environment for job creation”.

Minister Creed concludedthe announcement by saying “The €2.8m I have made available in 2017 is testament to my commitment to assist in the ongoing economic and social development in our rural coastal communities.

The diverse range of projects approved for funding under the programme are geographically spread across 13 Local Authorities and will not only create much needed local employment over the time span of the projects, but equally will further enhance the amenities provided to the wider Marine community in these coastal areas.”

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Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine funded Local Authority works 2017 County Council.

Location

Grant aid approved â‚Ź

Works

Clare County Council Lahinch Reconstruction of Slipway Gleninagh Pier Upgrade of deck

112,500 26,250 Total Clare 138,750

Cork County Council Lower Aghada Pier Provision of apron slab, launching area, rock armour, surfacing, barriers and lighting upgrade parking and marshalling area Aghabeg Pier Upgrade existing slipway, install navigation aid and lighting, 50,000 Kilcrohane Pier Upgrade existing slipway and parking area Dunboy Pier Construct new pier deck, walls and steps, install toerails Youghal Town Supply and installation of a pontoon and gangway Monkstown Pier Upgrade existing slipway and steps

56,250

26,250 33,750 112,500 32,250 Total Cork County 311,000

Donegal County Council Malinmore Reconstruction of pier at berthing side, providing railing new decking with steps, ladder and safety Downings Repair to pier wall at seaward side Greencastle Reinforce existing piles by welding steel plates to piles Bruckless Aid to Navigation Provision of 1 no. Port Hand marker and light on pier Portmore Malin Head Replace old crane with new hydraulic pier crane Total Donegal 291,750 Fingal County Council Rush Harbour 1 Lifting and relaying original stones on a section of the pier Rush Harbour 2 Replacement of missing stones and repointing and stabilisation of other stones Balbriggan Harbour Installation of new access and egress ladders Skerries Harbour Installation of 4 new access and egress ladders Rush Harbour 3 Installation of 2 new access and egress ladders, improvement of mooring points Loughshinny Harbour Installation of 2 new access and egress ladders

60,000 56,250 112,500 18,000 45,000

22,500 11,250 7,500 5,625 6,000 1,875 Total Fingal 54,750

Galway County Council Bealcarra Pier Extension of Pier CrumpĂĄn Pier Slipway and pier infrastructure Roundstone Pier Structural damage repairs Total Galway 300,000

112,500 112,500 75,000

Kerry County Council Ballinskelligs Pier Phase 2 of pier stabilisation works and structural repairs Renard Pier Completion of pier rehabilitation works, including installation of fendering and ladders Fenit Pier Replacement of fendering to monopile at head of pier

112,500 67,500 22,500 Total Kerry 202,500

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Kilterry Pier Ballysteen Pier

Limerick County Council Structural damage repairs to pier walls Repair works to pier

112,500 41,250 Total Limerick 153,750

Louth County Council Carlingford Harbour Repair to sections of revetment

18,750 Total

Louth

18,750

Mayo County Council Killala Harbour Protection works for main aids to navigation/lights, reconstruction of harbour deck, safety works Ballina Harbour Construction of slipway at northern end of harbour to facilitate access Newport, West Mayo Repairs to quay wall Kildavnet, West Mayo Safety works at slipway Bullsmouth, West Mayo Safety works at slipway Tonragee, West Mayo Safety works at slipway Greens (Achill Sound), West Mayo Safety works at slipway

Sligo County Council Rosses Point Provision of pontoon and access ramp, modest increase in length of slipway Raghly Harbour Pier crane and ancillary works

Ardmore Pier Tramore Pier Boatstrand Pier Passage East

Waterford County Council Repair works to pier wall and provide coastal defence Repairs to slipway and widening slipway to improve access Handrails and concrete plinth at new slipways Railings/ladders to pier

112,500

112,500 112,500 7,500 7,500 7,500 7,500 Total Mayo 367,500

111,750 26,250 Total Sligo 138,000

112,500 75,000 15,000 56,250 Total Waterford 258,750

Wexford County Council Ballyhack Repairs to slipway Kilmore Quay 1 Harbour repairs Kilmore Quay 2 New mooring bollards9,000 Courtown Harbour Masonry repointing, H&S, access works New Ross Marina 1 Structural repairs to existing quay wall at access point to marina Duncannon Moorings Wexford Harbour Extension of buoyage scheme to Ferrycarrig New Ross Marina 2 Anchor blocks and pontoon works

13,500 9,000 112,500 112,500 7,500 37,500 12,000 Total Wexford 313,500

Wicklow County Council Wicklow Port, East Pier EastPier strengthening and improvement works 111,000 Wicklow Port, North and South Quay Strengthening and improvement works of North and South Quay 108,750 Total Wicklow 219,750

Total Grant aid approved 2,768,750 LAN LOCAL AUTHORITY NEWS

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Council launches new Driver Awareness Campaign Engine idling wastes fuel and gets you nowhere ...

Donegal County Council has recently launched a new campaign promoting greater awareness among their drivers of how they can improve energy performance in their fleet.

This campaign is being launched as part of the Councils drive to improve energy efficiency in line with their ISO 50001 accredited energy management system.

“In our Energy Policy we have committed to achieving energy performance improvements of 33% by 2020” says Director of Service John McLaughlin.

“As part of this process we identified our fleet of 200 vehicles as one of a number of significant energy users within the organisation and we have been working closely with our staff on raising awareness of a number of issues affecting our fleetʼs energy efficiency. And idling vehicles has been identified as one area where energy savings can be made,” says Mr. McLaughlin.

Idling happens when a vehicleʼs engine is running while the vehicle is not in motion. Drivers are sometimes forced to idle in traffic but in most situations idling is not necessary. Idling is a habit that drivers can break, especially when they realise how harmful it can be to the environment.

Idling increases the amount of vehicle exhaust in the air. This exhaust contains many pollutants that are linked to asthma and other lung diseases, allergies, heart disease, increased risk of infections and cancer and other health problems.

An operating vehicle emits a range of gases from its tailpipe into the atmosphere, one of which is carbon dioxide, the principal greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change.

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This campaign is about raising awareness among our drivers about the harmful effects that idling can cause and we are asking our drivers to try and avoid idling their vehicles not only because of the amount of energy consumed but also because of the potential harmful effects”.

A new information leaflet and poster with a simple ʻTurn it Offʼ message has been developed as part of this campaign and targeted toolbox talks with Council staff in each depot around the county are key features of

this awareness raising initiative.

Ways to avoid unnecessary idling • Turn off your engine if you are waiting for longer than 10 seconds (except in traffic). Contrary to popular belief restarting your car does not burn more fuel than leaving it idling. In fact, idling for just 10 seconds wastes more fuel than restarting the engine.

• Warm up your engine by driving your car, not by idling. The best way to warm the engine is by easing into your drive and avoiding excessive engine revving. After just a few seconds your vehicle is safe to drive. The vehicles engine warms twice as quickly when driven.

• Warm up the inside of your vehicle by driving not by idling. Sitting in an idling car means you are breathing in more of the dirty exhaust that leaks into the car cabin. Any warmth you may get from a car heater is not worth the damage to your health.

• Idling is harder on the engine than restarting. Frequent restarting causes only about €10 worth of wear-and-tear per year, whereas idling leaves fuel residues that damage engine components and cause higher maintenance costs over time.

• Two minutes of idling uses the same amount of fuel as 1.6km of driving, so the message is simple – engine idling wastes fuel and gets you nowhere.

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Dublin City Council improves safety on fleet with ʻSentinel Systemsʼ Dublin City Council has teamed up with Sentinel Systems – a specialist in vehicle safety and camera solutions – to install safety camera and recording devices onto its vehicles.

The move was prompted by Dublin City Councilʼs desire to enhance the safe operation of their vehicles and vehicle safety products, deemed necessary for its operation in Dublin City Centre and other congested areas.

The system comprises of Sentinelʼs side-scanning sensors and cameras, which are installed along the nearside and front-step of the vehicle.

Visual and audible aids on the Bike Hotspot system alert the driver to a cyclistʼs movement within a predetermined range. The system can also warn the cyclist or pedestrian that the vehicle is turning left, triggered by the left-hand indicator, so they can keep at a safe distance from the vehicle while it is moving.

These surrounding areas of a vehicle can be the most common blind spots for cyclists.

The system activates while the vehicle is travelling under 15mph to prevent false alarms.

It is hoped that the installation of Sentinelʼs systems will helps to prevent accidents caused by large vehicles reversing or manoeuvring in confined spaces, which can be a challenge for drivers in busy towns and cities.

Walkers Vehicle Rentals, contractors and installers of Sentinelʼs products to Dublin City Council vehicles, has successfully used a variety of Sentinelʼs safety products before. Sentinelʼs camera safety systems were installed onto two Dublin City Council MAN TGS 32.440, equipped with Hyva Hookloaders.

Speaking on the new arrangement, Francis Cunningham from Walkers Vehicle Rentals has said; “Given the history we have with Sentinel and having used a variety of the companyʼs products before, we had no difficulty in recommending Sentinel on the grounds of customer requirement, cost, technical support and specification. Sentinelʼs products have been very beneficial so far and our customers are very happy with them. We would definitely consider using Sentinelʼs products on our vehicles again in future.”

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M inister Coveney announces allocation of

funding of over €24 Million Housing Investment for Local Authority Homes

Allocation of funding and targets for 2017 which will see a minimum of 1,400 void and vacant social housing units returned to productive use at a cost of €24m.

stock and ensures that existing social housing stock is used efficiently. This announcement today will bring another 1,400 housing units back into use in a timely manner for homeless households and families on housing waiting lists.

Feedback from local authorities in respect of this programme is very positive. Since the introduction of the programme in 2014 valuable assistance has been provided to local authorities in dealing with vacant units and significant progress has been made in tackling the backlog. These measures will also greatly assist local authorities in achieving quick turnaround and re-letting times for such units.

Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government Simon Coveney, T.D., has announced the allocation of funding of over €24 million for the return of over 1,400 vacant local authority properties to productive use this year.

The move is a continuation of the Governmentʼs commitment under the Social Housing Strategy to deliver 47,000 housing units by 2021 at a cost of €5.35 billion.

Going forward funding will be linked to local authorities putting in place ongoing maintenance programmes to address the issue of vacant properties. These measures will mean that there will not be a high number of vacant units, and local authorities will be continued to be supported in the remediation of any such vacant units that do occur.

Iʼm happy to be able to continue the vacant property programme and to support the local authorities in the provision of funding for these very worthwhile and important schemes for local authority tenants” concluded the Minister.

Minister Coveney said “Under the Governmentʼs Social Housing Strategy 2020, and reaffirmed under Pillar 2 of Rebuild Ireland my Department is committed to supporting local authorities in carrying out work that both improves the national housing

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Since its introduction in 2014 the Departmentʼs Vacant Properties (Voids) Programme has provided approximately €85million of funding which has result in over 7,200 properties being return to productive use. A key priority of this scheme is to rehouse homeless families to the fullest extent possible in homes that have been restored to an energy efficient condition.

The Vacant Properties programme applies to both short and long term vacant units nationwide and is being allocated, as it was in 2014 and 2015, on an equitable and evidence-based system. The energy efficiency works on the Vacant Property Programme has secured ERDF funding as part of the EU Operational Programme 2014-2020 and will see EU co-financing of 50% of eligible public investment under these programmes.

Minister Damien English approves funding of €100k for Approved Housing Bodies inister Damien English, T.D., Minister of State for Housing and Urban Renewal has announced the approval of over €100,000 in funding for four Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) under the Innovation Fund. This Fund was established, in line with the commitment made in Rebuilding Ireland, to provide AHBs with the means to test innovative ideas on new funding structures and to build capacity.

M

The four eligible proposals received were submitted by the Irish Council for Social Housing (ICSH), Clúid, Oaklee and Túath Housing.

• The ICSH have established a sector-led financial vehicle to allow AHBs to expand and to facilitate the delivery of additional housing units.

• Clúid are developing a set of procedures, guidelines and templates for mergers and acquisitions.

• Oaklee are working on securing off-balance sheet funding.

• Túath have engaged with external experts to undertake research on two schemes relating to affordable rental.

Announcing the approval of these proposals, Minister English said, The Department of Housing has an important role in facilitating AHBs in their work. This complements activities that are already underway within the AHB sector to facilitate collaboration within the sector.ʼ The total amount of funding that will be granted through the Innovation Fund is €104,043.50.

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Coveney publishes details of further progress on Social Housing Schemes, including a further 1,600 new Social Houses in the pipeline that will be available over the coming years. In the context of the Housing Needs Assessment, published in 2016, we will also ensure that new homes are delivered in the communities that need them most.

uring a visit to Mayfield Park, Clondalkin, a new Local Authority housing scheme, on which 18 homes at a cost of €4.1m are under construction, the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community & Local Government, Mr. Simon Coveney T.D. published an updated status list of social housing schemes that are advancing nationwide following on from the status list published on 20 February 2017.

D

“Iʼm delighted to say that since the publication of the last status report, the number of social housing schemes in the pipeline nationwide has risen from 504 to 607 and from 8,430 units to over 10,072 units. This shows that significant progress is being made in terms of social housing delivery and in Q1 2017 alone, over 1,600 new social housing units have been added to the pipeline. I am very pleased with this progress and of course I'm keen that all local authorities advance these social housing projects, as speedily as possible, and I have assured all involved in the delivery of these units, that funding is in place to support their activity.”

It should be noted that Rebuilding Ireland: An Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness sets out the Governmentʼs ambitious social housing programme to deliver 47,000 new social housing units by 2021, with funding in place of €5.35 billion. Of these 47,000 new social houses that will be delivered for households, 26,000 of these will be homes that will be delivered via construction or in some cases through major refurbishment works.

Local Authorities, Approved Housing Bodies, and the Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government have been advancing a suite of social housing projects, through a range of delivery mechanisms and programmes, and a strong construction pipeline is in now place, which will see over 10,000 new social houses being delivered over the coming years, some of which have already been completed in 2016 and the first quarter of this year.

This represents a major escalation and acceleration in the social housing build programme.

“The Department will continue to approve projects to ensure that there are sufficient projects advanced and ready to avail of the significant increases in funding that will be available over the coming years. As can be seen from the list, we now have a rich pipeline of projects which will come to fruition. I have full confidence in the Local Authorities and Approved Housing Bodies to continue to build on the momentum that we have and to get on with the job of building them,” concluded Minister Coveney

In terms of immediate delivery, just over 650 new social houses were built in 2016 and we aim to increase this significantly in 2017 to over 2,400.

Projects continue to be prepared and brought forward by local authorities and approved housing bodies.

The Department will continue to approve projects to ensure that there are sufficient projects advanced and ready to avail of the significant increases in funding

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PRODUCT PRODUCTinfo info Choosing non-compliant manhole covers and drainage gratings can cost you money, leave you open to litigation and damage reputations As a project speciďŹ er, procurement ofďŹ cer or contractor, your choice of safety-critical products like manhole covers and gully gratings cannot be taken lightly.

On civil works projects, your product selection needs to factor in issues like whole-life performance, capacity loads and compliance - and it is fair to say you only have one opportunity to get it right!

Budgets are already stretched on most projects but it must come down to more than costs. And today’s budget saving can easily become tomorrow’s stressful job with costly re-instalments and public safety concerns. The standards in place for manhole covers and drainage gratings can be followed easily and will give you genuine peace-of-mind when making your choice.

What the legislation tells us SpeciďŹ cations for manhole covers and gratings in Ireland’s infrastructure are determined by Transport Infrastructure Ireland and local authority requirements.

Reference is made to the European standard EN 124 requirements but keep in mind that this is a minimum standard. For example, for areas of high wheel loads of over 1,500 commercial vehicles per day, a higher load class of cover e.g. E600 or F900 should be selected instead of D400.

EJ based in Birr, Co Offaly are available to work with you from the design stage through to the installation and maintenance of your Manhole covers and Drainage gratings.

We offer CPD approved seminars on Product standards, SpeciďŹ cation and Correct Installation methods.

Contact us on 100

Your check-list when choosing compliant products For manhole covers look for 4 key markings on the cover and frame:

When purchasing you need to:

1 - IndentiÀcation of manufacturer and production site

t Buy from a reputable company certiÀed to ISO 9001 and preferable ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001

2 - Reference to the Standard EN 124 3 - Mark of the third party certiÀcation body

‡ *HW D FRpy of a licence from supplier that was issued by WKLUG SDUW\ FHUWLÀHG WR (1 H J %6, $)125 HWF IRU SURSRVHG products

4 - Load class e.g. D400 or E600

t Aquire a copy of Test Reports from both third-party supplier and manufacturer t Obtain sample for inspection and check for rocking of grates and covers in their frames

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Tel: (01) 494 3111 Mobile: 087 944 1831 Email: info@lgvpestcontrol.com Website: www.lgvpestcontrol.com "Throughout the last 80 years we have provided and continue to provide Pest Control Services to government bodies, businesses' and companies throughout the country, maintaining the highest working standards and adapting to the technological advances within our sector, to ensure our customers have the highest quality pest prevention systems in place"

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Hach Ireland Unit 1 Chestnut Road, Western Industrial Estate D12 XAH3 Ireland T: 01 4602522 E: eamonn.rellis@hach.com

AM Environmental: Home Heating Oil Spills Clean-up Specialists Environmental Consulting and Contracting An independent Irish company specialising in domestic and commercial oils spills as with restoration of property damage. We are one of Irelands leading home heating oil spill remediation (clean up) specialists.

AM Environmental has experienced staff with 1,000ʼs of successful home heating oil spills of kerosene, diesel and hydrocarbon fuel clean upʼs complete across Ireland.

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