Shannon to benefit as major wastewater upgrade is completed

Uisce Éireann 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.

Uisce Éireann 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.

Uisce Éireann's 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 Uisce Éireann's commitment  to the efficient delivery of critical infrastructure in order to support local communities.

"We would like to thank the local residents and businesses for their support and co-operation as we carried out this work over the last 16 months."

Welcoming this announcement, Shannon Chamber CEO Helen Downes said: "Shannon is recognised as one of Ireland's 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 Uisce Éireann is another important step in building a sustainable future for this region."

The project, which was delivered by Ward & Burke on behalf of Uisce Éireann, 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.

Uisce Éireann 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, Uisce Éireann 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).