04/04/2008 -

€29m Wastewater Treatment Plant

When the contract for the Sligo Main Drainage project was signed, the then Minister for the Environment, Heritage & Local Government, Dick Roche, TD, hailed it as ‘an historic day for Sligo.’ The construction of the plant in Far Finisklin, Sligo, will be of major benefit to Sligo and the North West, facilitating tourism, housing, commercial and recreational developments. In addition to contributing to the growth of the region, the scheme will ensure the protection of a quality environment in Sligo bay.

The state of the art treatment plant will mean the elimination of untreated discharges into Sligo Bay and will enable Sligo Local Authorities to fulfil its obligations under EU Directives. The plant will be constructed in a bunded area in the estuary, which was developed during dredging works in Sligo harbour in the 1980’s.

This contract includes the provision of a Main Pumping Station, Waste Water Treatment Works, Outfall, Sludge Treatment Centre and the provision of Sludge Management Facilities for all outlying treatment plants.  The contract is a ‘Design Build and Operate’ form of contract with an operation and maintenance period of 20 years. The contract was awarded to Anglian Water International as main contractor, Enpure Ltd., Kidderminster, Birminham, England and Coffey contractors Athenry, Co. Galway as design and build sub-contractors and Celtic Anglian Water as sub contractors for the 20 year period. Jennings O’Donovan & Partners are the clients representative and are responsible for the successful implementation of the project.

The treatment works will have a capacity to treat waste water for a combined domestic and commercial population equivalent of 50,000 and it has to be capable of being expanded to 80,000 at a future date. When complete, it will not only serve Sligo City, which has Gateway Status, but also surrounding areas including:
Ballincar/Cregg/Rosses Point
Carrowroe
Teesan/Lisnalurg
Hazelwood/Bellanode
Cummeen

Construction on the plant commenced in November 2006, and commissioning of the new works is expected this autumn. The contractor is Anglian Water International Ltd. and the design build cost is  €29m incl. VAT.

The new plant will provide treatment to the highest standard including full secondary treatment supplemented by phosphorous removal and by disinfection using ultra-violet lamps. Sligo has been designated as a sludge hub centre and will therefore include a sludge acceptance facility and Sludge Treatment centre for sludges generated in County Sligo.

An advanced civil works contract for the provision of the new Waste Water Treatment Works was awarded by Sligo Borough Council to Ascon Ltd, Civil Engineering and Building Contractors, which included provision for the civil engineering works required for the construction of accommodation works in advance of the proposed treatment works. The works completed in December 2002 included repairs to and raising of the bund wall at the proposed waste water treatment works site, provision of 130,000m3 stone fill on the site, removal of an existing pumping station, upgrading of the substandard Finisklin Road to the county boundary, 800mm pipeline rising main and service pipe work and the provision of an access road to the bund site.

The Garavogue River and Lough Gill are well recognised as salmon waters.  The quality of water in the estuary is critical to salmon population in the catchment area as smolt on their way to the sea in April/May pass through the channel.  Fresh-run salmon are noted to “hold” in the estuary and the quality of water is critical to their well-being.

Licensed mariculture developments are significant in Sligo Bay.  Clams and oysters and, to a lesser degree, mussels are the main species harvested and the mariculture activities has considerable potential for expansion.  The projects make a significant contribution to the local economy and create valuable employment.

Sligo Bay is extensively used for active and passive recreational activities involving a very wide range of past-times including sailing, yachting, fishing, surfing and swimming.  The Blue Flag Beach status of the very popular Rosses Point resort is of maximum importance to the general region.  The quality of the beaches in Sligo Bay including Culleenamore, Coney Island, Lissadel, Ardtermon and Yellow Strand offer exceptional tourism potential and all the beaches are acknowledged swimming locations. The provision of the new treatment works and the consequent improvement of water quality in the Bay will ensure protection of these natural assets and will promote their development.