Impact of Irish Water investment 'being felt in Mayo'

THE positive impact of Irish Water’s investment in wastewater treatment is being felt by communities across Mayo as new wastewater plants are built and more are being upgraded.

A report issued by Irish Water said the company is on track to deliver on its approved investment plans which will result in no areas in the country having any form of untreated wastewater discharge by 2021.

Since 2014 Irish Water has upgraded or built new wastewater treatment plants in 55 locations across the country including 12 towns where raw sewage was going directly into the water. These new and upgraded plants have improved the environment, supported tourism and in many cases built capacity for new homes and businesses.

Irish Water has invested €9 million investment in the construction of a new wastewater treatment plant in Belmullet.

Prior to the completion of these works, Belmullet was one of the 44 locations around Ireland where wastewater was being discharged into the natural environment untreated.

Irish Water is investing a further €19 million in sewerage schemes in Killala Foxford and Charlestown.

The Killala Sewerage Scheme will stop untreated wastewater being discharged directly into Killala Bay and the Foxford and Charlestown sewerage schemes will provide new and upgraded treatment plants for the towns to meet the current populations and will provide for future growth in the areas.

The EPA’s annual Urban Wastewater Treatment Report points to the progress made by Irish Water in 2017.

The utility increased expenditure by 25% to €215 million last year to ensure the development and delivery of solutions to support the safe return of wastewater to the environment from almost 1.1 million homes throughout Ireland after it has travelled through 30,000 kilometres of public sewers and been treated at 1,100 wastewater treatment plants.

Irish Water is increasing investment in wastewater infrastructure year on year and has planned to increase spending on wastewater projects in the existing Capital Investment Plan.

Many of wastewater projects are currently in the design and planning stage and expenditure during this stage is significantly lower than during construction.

Consequently there will be a large increase in wastewater expenditure over the next few years up to the end of 2021.

Irish Water has to focus investment in wastewater and does so by prioritising, firstly those locations that are not compliant with European Standards under the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive and also by focusing on those locations with no treatment of raw sewage and those other locations where we need to improve existing treatment.

Irish Water is fully committed to meeting the timescales associated with the European Court of Justice Urban Wastewater Treatment Case. Since 2016 Irish Water has completed works at 16 locations ensuring compliance with European standards under the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive. Irish Water has corrective actions in place for 28 sites that failed in 2017.

In 12 towns around the country were raw sewage were directly into the water, new wastewater plants have been constructed. There are plans progressing for an additional 38 locations.

Irish Water in conjunction with the local authorities is continuing to roll out standard operating procedures for wastewater treatment plants to ensure that they are operated to the highest standards possible.

Colm Claffey, Irish Water, said: “In total since 2014 Irish Water has upgraded or built new wastewater treatment plants in 55 locations across the country improving the environment, supporting tourism and in many cases building capacity for new homes and businesses.

“Irish Water has to focus investment in wastewater and does so by prioritising, firstly those locations that are not compliant with European Standards under the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive and by then focusing on those locations with no treatment of raw sewage and also those other locations where we need to improve existing treatment.

“In some cases, progress has been slower than we would like due to complex conditions, planning and other issues, but Irish Water has a plan for every area.

“The size and scale of the challenge we have faced over the past four years has been considerable, but the expertise and capability of Irish Water and local authority engineers and other staff has meant that we have developed solutions and plans to support the safe return of wastewater to the environment from almost 1.1 million homes throughout Ireland after it has travelled through 30,000 kilometres of public sewers and been treated at 1,100 wastewater treatment plants.”