Irish Water is splashing out on some new local projects

IRISH Water has pledged approximately €24.8 million in imminent investment in a variety of projects that will improve water infrastructure in the Fingal area. 

One of the projects will replace a water main which is notorious for bursting and causing re-occurring traffic disruption and water shortages in Swords.

The water-governing body will spend around €8 million replacing the water main. The project is estimated to save 44 million litres of water per month. 

The water main will be replaced from the junction near Cooks Road and Forest Road, down through Swords Main Street and North Street and on to the Jordanstown Reservoir.

The contract for the repair is being finalised and is expected to go to tender later in the year. The works are likely to take 21 months to complete.

Meanwhile, the company has put in a compulsory purchase order for land to build a new wastewater pumping station in Skerries. The €5.1 million project is planned for the Rush Road in Skerries. 

The station will aim to reduce overflows to the sea during periods of heavy rain. In June, Fingal County Council issued a no bathing warning for Skerries south beach, Rush north beach and Loughshinny beach. 

Swimming was prohibited as a result of water contamination which was understood to be from a waste water treatment plant.

Construction for the new station is expected to begin in March 2017 and will take 18 months to complete.

An additional €9.7 million  will also be spent on upgrading wastewater management in Rush. These works will aim to stop the discharge of untreated sewage in Rush.

And in a further investment for Fingal, Irish Water have submitted a planning application to build a €2 million reservoir north of Seamount Heights in Malahide. The project will boost water storage facilities for Malahide and Portmarnock. 

The existing reservoir serving the area is insufficient to cater to the growing population in the area, according to Irish Water.

Should planning permission be granted and land acquired, the construction is expected to begin in 2017 and will take approximately a year to complete.

Dublin Fingal TD Alan Farrell (FG) welcomed the investments. 

“I recently raised the issue of water quality in the north county, and the need for investment in our local wastewater infrastructure, in Dáil Éireann,” he said. 

“With a growing population in Dublin Fingal, continued investment in this infrastructure is vital.

“While I am pleased with the confirmation of this investment by Irish Water, I will actively engage with Minister Coveney and his Department (of the Environment) to prevent any delays in the delivery of this essential infrastructure for our local community.”

Irish Water has been dogged by controversy since its launch and the company experienced a huge decline in compliance in its latest billing cycle. 

Some €18.3 million was received in the latest billing cycle, down from €33.4 million in the previous one. 

This follows the Government’s suspension of the water charges for nine months as the most recent bills were being mailed to the public.

REPORT: Katie O’Neill