A €7.5m upgrade of the Shannon Wastewater Treatment Plant has been completed by Irish Water and Clare County Council.
Compliance with European regulatory standards is now ensured as a result of the project along with an adequate treatment of wastewater. New ventilation and odour treatment systems are also provided as part of the upgrade.
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.
Works over the last 16 months were delivered by Ward & Burke on Irish Water’s behalf. The upgrades made maximum use of the existing infrastructure on site, minimising the carbon footprint of the works.
Infrastructure Delivery Lead, Anthony Kavanagh said of the impact, “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”.
CEO of Shannon Chamber, Helen Downes felt its completion was another important step in building a sustainable future for the Mid-West region. “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”.
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). A total of 52 towns and villages in the county are without adequate wastewater infrastructure.
