An end to raw sewage discharge in Killala Bay in the coming weeks
Uisce Éireann, working in partnership with Mayo County Council, will commence operation of a new wastewater treatment plant to stop the discharge of untreated wastewater being discharged into Killala Bay in the coming weeks. This project forms part of a €19 million investment in wastewater infrastructure in Mayo, along with the completed Foxford and Charlestown Sewerage Schemes.
The practice of discharging untreated wastewater is unacceptable and the new wastewater treatment plant will bring benefits to Killala in terms of health, integrity of the environment and improved water quality for angling, water sports and marine life. The new wastewater treatment scheme will also ensure that wastewater is adequately treated and meets appropriate standards before being safely discharged into the marine environment in Killala Bay.
Paul Fallon, Uisce Éireann's Infrastructure Programme Manager for Wastewater commented: "This project is hugely important to improving the quality of water in Killala Bay. The new wastewater treatment plant in Killala will serve a population equivalent of 1,800 and will allow for social and economic growth. I would like to thank the communities and the businesses for their cooperation and patience with these essential works."
The Killala Sewerage Scheme is part of a wastewater improvement project that also includes Foxford and Charlestown. The wastewater treatment plants in Foxford and Charlestown were upgraded in order to provide wastewater treatment capacity for the current population and for future growth in the area.
A new treatment plant to serve a population equivalent of 3,500; was built in Foxford, which also included the construction of a new pumping station and upgrade of the three existing pumping stations; installation of a new rising mains and upgrade of the collection network.
In Charlestown, the work involved upgrading the existing wastewater treatment plant to increase the capacity to 3,400 PE as well as the installation of new sewers and a new outfall to the Mullaghanoe River.
In 2018 Uisce Éireann completed a €9 million wastewater treatment plant and sewerage infrastructure project in Belmullet with a capacity to treat wastewater from a population of up to 2,500 people which ended the discharge of untreated sewage at that location.
Uisce Éireann is also progressing plans for a new wastewater treatment plant in Newport to address the remaining raw sewage being discharged in the county.
Visit our Eliminating Raw Sewage section for updates on the projects as they progress.
Significant capital investment is needed over a sustained period of several decades to address the poor condition of Ireland's water and wastewater infrastructure. Works have been prioritised to address the most critical issues in line with commitments outlined in the Government's Water Services Policy Statement and Uisce Éireann's Strategic Funding Plan. Uisce Éireann has invested €3.8 billion in water and wastewater infrastructure to the end of 2019 and plans to invest a further €5.2 billion under its Capital Investment Programme from 2020 to 2024 in drinking water and wastewater quality and capacity and new infrastructure.
