11 minute read
IRISH WATER UPDATES
Shannon to benefit as major wastewater upgrade is completed
We have completed a major upgrade of the Shannon Wastewater Treatment Plant which will protect the local environment and support growth and development in the area for years to come.
Irish Water has completed a major upgrade of the Shannon Wastewater Treatment Plant which will protect the local environment and support growth and development in the area for years to come.
This project, carried out in partnership with Clare County Council, brings immense benefits to the local community by ensuring that there is adequate treatment of wastewater, for now and into the future, as well as protecting public health and safeguarding the environment. The project also ensures compliance with the European regulatory standards.
Irish Water has invested €7.5 million to carry out this project which upgraded several aspects of wastewater treatment and provided new ventilation and odour treatment systems. The upgrades made maximum use of the existing infrastructure on site, minimising the carbon footprint of the works.
Irish Waterʼs Infrastructure Delivery Lead, Anthony Kavanagh said: “We are delighted to announce the successful completion of this project which brings many benefits to Shannon from an environmental as well as a social and economic point of view. Not only will it help to safeguard local waterways, improve the water quality in the River Shannon, and improve the wider environment, it will also accommodate housing and other potential developments in Shannon and the surrounding areas. The project has modernised and improved the performance of the wastewater treatment infrastructure in Shannon which the local community will benefit from for years to come.
“The completion of this project on time and on budget reflects Irish Waterʼs commitment to the efficient delivery of critical infrastructure in order to support local communities.
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Welcoming this announcement, Shannon Chamber CEO Helen Downes said: “Shannon is recognised as one of Irelandʼs premier industry locations and currently boasts a diverse industry base comprising companies who are world leaders in their respective sectors. Having a modern, fit-for-purpose water and wastewater infrastructure is vital to meet the needs of existing businesses and for the attraction of new investment. The completion of this essential project by Irish Water is another important step in building a sustainable future for this region.”
The project, which was delivered by Ward & Burke on behalf of Irish Water, involved the construction of a new washwater pump station and the installation of new ventilation and odour treatment systems. Upgrades were carried out to aeration tanks, blowers, final settling tanks, leachate and sludge pumping stations, sludge dewatering facilities, whilst also upgrading the instrumentation, control and automation processes.
Irish Water is on track to deliver a programme of unprecedented scale to stop the discharge of untreated or inadequately treated wastewater into our seas and rivers. Since 2014, Irish Water has stopped approximately 50% of untreated wastewater that was being discharged to our rivers and the sea, with the completion of new wastewater treatment plants in 16 towns across the country.
In Clare, new sewerage schemes are currently planned for five locations where there is untreated wastewater being discharged: Liscannor, Kilrush, Kilkee, Ballyvaughan, and Clarecastle. Upgrades of wastewater treatment plants are also being progressed in Doonbeg and Ballycannon (Meelick).
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Upgrades to wastewater network in Omeath as part of SWELL project
Irish Water in partnership with NI Water will commence construction works to upgrade the wastewater network in Omeath, Co Louth as part of a major cross-border project to improve water quality in Carlingford Lough and Lough Foyle.
The Shared Waters Enhancement and Loughs Legacy (SWELL) project, which has been awarded €35m under the EUʼs INTERREG VA Programme, managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB), involves the construction of new wastewater treatment works as well as upgrades to sewerage networks on both sides of the border to address wastewater pollution and improve the quality of water in Carlingford Lough and Lough Foyle. The projectʼs legacy will be the development of a unique ecosystem model that will support further improvements in these shared waters. Match-funding for the project has been provided by the Department of Agriculture, Environment & Rural Affairs in Northern Ireland and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage in Ireland.
Why Drop Test Reports are critical when approving Fall Protection Safety Grids for Water & Wastewater Networks.
Attention to safety is critical when selecting steel access solutions which facilitate the safe extraction of equipment from a chamber and ensures the safe movement of the operators while doing so.
Specification for Fall Protection Safety Grids
The required specification for pumping stations, wet wells and valve chambers, is for a hinged, fall protection grid to be provided below the access cover and to be capable of withstanding a 250kg load over the total area of the grid. The lifting effort of the grid shall not exceed 25kg. The relevant standards when specifying fabricated steel, Flush Fit or Above Ground covers are: EN 124-3: and BS 9124 depending on the clear opening. As EN 124 does not refer to safety grids or testing, the Drop Test outlined in BS 9124 provides a comprehensive safeguard against varying standards in production that can occur. Fall protection safety grids are the most important safety feature when specifying access solutions, to protect operators against the risk of injury or death from falls into open chambers.
The Drop Test Explained
This test requires the safety grid to be capable of withstanding a 140kg mass applied over a footprint area of 300mm x 200mm and dropped from a height of 2 meters onto any point of the grid. This simulates (and exceeds) the vertical impact of a human being falling onto the grid, at any point onto an area similar in size totheir footprint. Request a Drop Test Report to ensure safety girds comply fully to the requirements of the standard.
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Additional safety features, such as working platforms will allow operators safe access when there are large openings that require multiple covers. Selecting the correct access & fall protection solutions for water networks can be a daunting challenge with factors such as compliance, operator & public safety, ergonomics and asset security requiring equal consideration. EJ are here to help. We can offer specification guidance for a range of infrastructure access solutions in ductile iron, galvanised steel, or composite material to suit your project requirements.
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These works, which are the last in a programme of eight planned upgrade works under SWELL, will address infrastructural deficiencies in the sewer network in Omeath to ensure that all wastewater is transported to a new wastewater treatment plant being progressed separately by Irish Water. The SWELL network improvement works in Omeath, together with the construction of the new Omeath Wastewater Treatment Plant will provide increased treatment capacity to meet the needs of the village, allow for future growth, reduce the impact of storm water overflows and improve the water quality of Carlingford Lough by ensuring wastewater is treated in compliance with EU directives.
Main construction works on the network upgrade will commence in early August 2021 and are expected to be completed in November. Works are being delivered by BSG Civil Engineering Ltd on behalf of Irish Water in adherence with HSE and government guidance on COVID-19.
Speaking about the works, Irish Waterʼs Conor Gilleran said, “This is the first time that targeted wastewater improvements to address wastewater pollution are being delivered on both sides of the border through collaboration between both water utilities. Separate to the SWELL project, Irish Water is also currently progressing plans to construct a new wastewater treatment plant in Omeath in order to treat wastewater in compliance with EU directives. The SWELL network upgrades in Omeath, alongside the new Omeath Wastewater Treatment Plant and the Northern Ireland Water upgrades, will improve water quality in Carlingford Lough. The SWELL project will also help to improve and safeguard into the future, the environmental, social and economic value of this renowned waterbody.”
Tomasz Piadlo, SWELL Project Manager for NI Water explained, “The SWELL project provides a welcome opportunity for both water utilities to work collaboratively to prioritise and align projects in a coordinated way so as to make maximum positive impact on the shared water bodies on the island of Ireland. The commencement of Irish Waterʼs work in Omeath marks another key milestone in the fouryear SWELL project. The improvements being made at Irish Water wastewater assets in Donegal and Louth will support the extensive upgrades carried out across the border by NI Water to improve the water quality in Carlingford Lough and Lough Foyle.”
Highlighting the importance of the project Gina McIntyre, Chief Executive of the SEUPB, said: “We all know that nature does not respect geographical borders between regions. Therefore, cross-border cooperation is vital if we are to help protect our shared local environment. This project represents a significant and long-term investment from the INTERREG VA Programme in the water quality in Carlingford Lough and Lough Foyle. It is testament to what can be achieved when two jurisdictions work together to help address a common problem, such as wastewater pollution, and in doing so make significant long-lasting positive impacts on our local environment leading to a cleaner and safer future.”
Irish Water continues to work at this time, with our local authority partners, contractors and others to safeguard the health and well-being of staff and the public and to ensure the continuity of drinking water and wastewater services.
Works progress to support future growth and development across Kildare
Irish Water, working in partnership with Kildare County Council, continues to progress the delivery of the Upper Liffey Valley Sewerage Scheme to safeguard the environment and support economic and social development across Kildare.
Irish Water is delighted to announce that works on Monread Road in Naas, and on Standhouse Road in Newbridge have been completed ahead of schedule and both roads are fully re-opened. Permanent reinstatement works will be carried out at both locations over the coming months and we will continue to update local businesses and the community ahead of these works. These projects form part of a significant €38 million investment in the wastewater network in Kildare that involves laying 18km of new sewers to improve the wastewater network and safeguard the environment. The project is essential as the current wastewater infrastructure is unable to support the needs of the area and it is not compliant with the Urban Wastewater Treatment Regulations 2001 and conditions as set out in the Environmental Protection Agencies Wastewater Discharge Licence. Speaking about the project, Olive Marshall Regional Lead with Irish Water, said “Irish Water is committed to investing in the wastewater treatment infrastructure in Kildare to support the needs of the growing population and to safeguard the environment. These works are part of the Upper Liffey Valley Sewerage Scheme, a €38 million project that is needed to provide East Kildare and the surrounding areas with the infrastructure needed to support the building of houses, schools, attract new industry and allow companies to expand and grow.”
Irish Water is working proactively with our delivery partners and as part of a multi-agency working group to ensure that our construction works are carried out in a controlled and safe manner, in keeping with Government and HSE guidelines to protect workers, their families and the broader community.
For further information on this project and associated works, please visit our Upper Liffey Valley Sewerage Scheme project page.
Works progress to end the discharge of raw sewage into Galway Bay
Irish Water is delighted to announce the commencement of the Spiddal Sewerage Scheme. The new wastewater treatment plant and sewerage infrastructure to be constructed as part of this scheme will eliminate the discharge of raw sewage into Galway Bay.
Irish Water, working in partnership with Galway County Council, will invest over €4 million in this project. Once operational, the new plant and associated infrastructure will ensure compliance with wastewater discharge regulations. It will also improve water quality in Galway Bay and protect recreational waters for swimming, surfing, fishing, boating and sightseeing, as well as protecting the integrity of the local marine environment. The works will be carried out by Coffey Water Limited working on behalf of Irish Water and will be delivered in line with COVID-19 restrictions. Works on the project are expected to commence in the coming weeks and will be completed by early 2024.
Patrick Greene, Regional Infrastructure Lead with Irish Water, commented on the project, “We are looking forward to delivering this important project on behalf of the local community in Spiddal. All new infrastructure has been sized to accommodate future population growth and the project will enhance the local environment and provide a platform for social and economic development of the area well into the future.
“The project will involve construction of a new wastewater treatment plant that will serve a population equivalent of 1,000 which equates to stopping over 600 wheelie bins of raw sewage being discharged to Galway Bay every day. Construction of new sewer pipelines, rising mains and a below ground pumping station will also be required to transport wastewater to and from the new treatment plant in Spiddal.
“We look forward to working with the local community to deliver this essential project in conjunction with our partners Galway County Council and Coffey Water Limited and eliminating the discharge of untreated wastewater into Galway Bay.”
Irish Water and our appointed Contractor, Coffey Water Limited, will be in contact with the local community in Spiddal in the coming weeks regarding the upcoming works as well as throughout the project.
