A major upgrade of the Quin Wastewater Treatment plant has been completed.

€4.2m was invested by Irish Water into the upgrade which was carried out in partnership with Clare County Council. The existing plant was overloaded and as a result was not compliant with EU Urban Wastewater Directives.

This project has brought improvements to the treatment efficiency of the plant and it will also improve the quality of water discharged to the River Rine, a tributary of the Shannon.

The existing wastewater treatment plant was originally constructed to cater for a population equivalent of 740. This upgrade enables it to now serve a population equivalent of 1350.

The project involved the construction of a new pumping station at Quin on the same site as the existing Wastewater treatment plant; the installation of new settlement tanks and Rotating Biological Contactor (RBC) tanks; new inlet works as well as site landscaping, lighting and security works.

Project Spokesperson Esther White said: “We are very pleased to announce the successful completion of this project which brings many benefits to Quin from an environmental as well as a social and economic point of view. Not only will it help to safeguard local waterways and the wider environment, it will also accommodate housing and other developments in the Quin area.The completion of this project on time and on budget reflects Irish Water’s commitment – and that of our delivery partners, Clare County Council and EPS – to the efficient delivery of critical infrastructure in order to support local communities.

In Clare, new public 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).