Irish Water gears up for €2.5m treatment plant in Galway

Irish Water is set to submit a planning application to Galway County Council this week, for the construction of a new €2.5 million wastewater treatment plant.

Irish Water is proposing to build the plant, along with a pumping station and associated pipelines, as part of the upgrade to the Glenamaddy sewerage scheme.

It will replace the existing plant, which is overloaded and discharges partly treated effluent into a special area of conservation.

Irish Water wastewater treatment programmes regional lead Colm Boyd said: “Irish Water is working in partnership with Galway County Council to deliver the Glenamaddy sewerage scheme project.”

He said the proposed developments will improve the quality of the final treated effluent and reduce the risk of groundwater pollution. They will “significantly reduce” the impact that the existing plant has on the Lough Lurgeen Bog and Glenamaddy Turlough candidate special area of conservation.

The works will provide for a design capacity of 700 population equivalent. The existing wastewater treatment plant serving Glenamaddy Town is operating above its design capacity of 300 population equivalent and is located in an area prone to flooding.

The project is part of Irish Water’s ongoing investment in Ireland’s water and wastewater services, with plans to spend €532 million in this area in 2016.

The investment will address the greatest deficiencies in Ireland’s water infrastructure. The company said work is being prioritised to address the most critical issues in line with commitments outlined in its recently published 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.