Local Authority News Vol. 41. No. 2

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• Galway City Council Public Lighting Programme • 184 New Social Homes Being Delivered

by Respond in Galway • Over 2,400 Social and Affordable Homes to be Delivered across Galway City

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CONTENTS 41 No. 2

FEATURES

Published by:

GALWAY CITY COUNCIL PUBLIC LIGHTING PROGRAMME

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BETTER, GREENER, MORE CONNECTED TRANSPORT (EURO BUS)

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MINISTER DARRAGH O’BRIEN VISITS 184 NEW SOCIAL HOMES BEING DELIVERED

BY RESPOND IN GALWAY

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GALWAY CITY COUNCIL ON THE JOURNEY TO NET ZERO EMISSIONS 11 GILTRON LTD RIVERVIEW LODGE, DUBLIN ROAD, NAVAN, CO. MEATH. Tel: 00353 46 9072841

ENVIROCYL QUICK PLUMB UNITS

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HOW TO WIN THE BUDGET WAR ON YOUR COUNTY’S ROADS (FORTA)

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Email: info@localauthoritynews.ie Website: www.localauthoritynews.ie

ISSN NO. 1393-0394 LOCAL AUTHORITY NEWS is available FREE OF CHARGE and ON LINE to all Local and Central Government Bodies throughout Ireland.

Published bi-monthly it is disseminated to Local Authority Managers, Assistant Managers, County Secretaries, Finance Officers, Principal Officers, Department Heads, County Engineers, City Engineers, Chief Quantity Surveyors, Senior Architects, Plant Superintendents, Senior Executive Engineers, Town Clerks, Purchasing Officers, Administrative Officers, Inspectors, Park Superintendents, County Librarians, etc. in all Government Departments, County Councils, Corporations, Office of Public Works, Urban District Councils, StateSponsored and Development Bodies and Agencies.

GUIDANCE ON SPECIFYING LARGE SPAN STEEL ACCESS SOLUTIONS FOR PUMP STATIONS, WATER AND WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANTS. (EJ) 20 GRANT CONTINUES TO SUPPORT THE DEPLOYMENT OF RENEWABLE HOME HEATING 25 TECHNOLOGY

BREDON GROUP PLC

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OVER 2,400 SOCIAL AND AFFORDABLE HOMES TO BE DELIVERED ACROSS GALWAY CITY

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REGULARS IRISH WATER UPDATES

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CLASSFIEDS

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Galway City Council Public Lighting Programme Galway City Council is progressing a range of initiatives to engage the public and support behaviour change in favour of Climate Action. Initiatives currently underway range across areas including transport, energy, biodiversity, housing and waste – with some focusing on technological solutions to emissions, and others focusing on community engagement, environmental awareness, or prompting behaviour change.

Some recent highlights are summarised in this article, with all forming part of Galway City Council core policies and strategies, including the Galway City Climate Adaptation Strategy, the City Development Plan, and the Galway Transport Strategy, among others.

Galway City Council Public Lighting Programme Galway City Council has been very proactive in relation to the management of public lighting assets, as part of a commitment to climate action.

Public lighting accounts for 50% of Local Authority Energy use. Galway City Council has over 9,500 public lights in the city, with over 80% high energy burners sodium lanterns as of January 2020.

Public lighting was targeted for an accelerated retrofit to energy efficient LED lighting, through a planned programme with a budget of just over €4M. As of August 2022, the retrofit is substantially complete with over 95% of public lights retrofitted to LED. The retrofit has resulted in: • • • •

Average 64% energy savings Energy costs reduced by €340,000 per year CO2 emissions reduced by 975 tonnes per year and Reduced yearly maintenance costs.

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Positive Coverage Positive Achievements GILTRON LTD Tel: 00353 46 9072841 Email: info@localauthoritynews.ie Website: www.localauthoritynews.ie

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The accelerated retrofit programme will have a payback of 9 years, making strong economic sense; providing enhanced public lighting; and making a positive contribution to the environment and climate action.

The LED programme has included upgrades to 20 walkways around the city, to support permeability/walking and cycling, and reduce anti-social activities.

One such initiative was the coastal walk beyond Blackrock, and at Southpark, close to the Prom in Salthill. Despite the popular location for walking, cycling, sea swimming and tourism, these sections of walkway were unlit, and got very little use during winter months.

Through NTA funding, the routes were upgraded to promote active travel.

Both walkways are along the Galway Bay coastline, and as the bay is a Special Area of Conservation (SAC), any lighting should have no negative effects on the environment.

Galway City Council, with Public Lighting Contractor Electric Skyline Ltd and Urbis Schréder, a worldwide outdoor lighting solutions provider, collaborated to create a connected smart lighting solution.

The challenge was to find a smart, lowcarbon solution that would enhance the areaʼs character, respect the sensitive environment, protect the coastal views of Galway Bay, and facilitate walking and cycling in the area.

The solution was to provide a lighting system that minimised light spill up into the sky, as well as in natural habitats. The product that was installed were 1.5m high PHAROS bollards with Flexia luminaire lanterns. This is the first installation in Ireland, and the largest in Europe. The lighting automatically comes on just before dusk and goes off at midnight.

Another attractive feature is that the light levels can be varied. With high spring tides, the area is prone to flooding, and if there is an incident, more light will be beneficial. In the event of an emergency, all the luminaires can be turned up to maximum.

The feedback from local Councillors and the public has been very positive. One local resident and regular user of the prom said “The lighting gently illuminates the walkway without being too bright” and noted that the amount of walkers and bikers has increased.

Read more about Galway City Councilʼs journey to Net Zero Emissions on page 11.

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Better, greener, more connected transport Euro Bus Expo returns to the NEC, Birmingham on 1-3 November 2022. The premier bus, coach and mini vehicle exhibition is a must attend for local authorities.

The industry showcase will bring together thousands of thought leaders, suppliers, manufacturers, operators, transport planners and strategy influencers. Each has a critical role to play in connecting communities, encouraging bus patronage, improving services, and not least - achieving net zero.

To this end, transport planners are managing more regulations and contract decisions than ever before.

All while dwindling government resource and rising inflation rates are increasing focus on investment returns.

Visiting Euro Bus Expo can help to alleviate these mounting pressures.

Achieving net zero Free to attend seminars will inform about the milestones, challenges, and possible solutions to make the vision for carbon free transport a reality. Visitors will hear about the practicalities of implementation, infrastructure requirements, and how others are adapting to similar circumstances. There will be also sessions dedicated to game-changing technologies and industry developments.

Informed investments With hundreds of suppliers in one place, itʼs easy to find and compare all the new emission-reducing products and technologies available. And, to research which of these quickly developing opportunities deliver the best value for money.

The exhibitor line-up includes 24 vehicle manufacturers that will be showcasing the fleets of the future – including brand-new launches. Several will be demonstrating vehicles in the dedicated Zero Emission Zone.

Here, visitors can experience the latest carbon-free battery electric and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles first hand.

They will also see new features designed to lower the costs of operating and make the passenger experience more desirable.

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Behaviour change To convince people to use greener travel options, services need to be available, accessible, and convenient.

Exhibitors will be showcasing an array of products and services to help with these challenges.

Among hundreds of exhibiting brands are suppliers whose technologies can make seamless journeys a reality.

From route mapping and traffic flow modelling, through multimodal ticketing and on-demand bus and coach services.

There will be smart passenger information systems that can keep commuters informed about expected arrival times and any delays, and products to increase on-board comfort.

In the miniplus Area, visitors will find mini vehicles fitted with modern accessible aids including step-free design, wheelchair lifts, bespoke seating, and more safety items.

The show will be brimming with developments that can create the new customer experience needed to drive a shift from cars to buses.

Public-private partnerships To drive this shift, collaboration is necessary between authorities, businesses, supply chain partners, policy makers – and not least, communities. As the entire industry comes together this November, there will be ample opportunity to network. Visitors can meet new contacts, develop relationships, share ideas, learn from others, and forge new partnerships.

An industry challenge Buses and coaches have vast potential to reduce pollution and congestion, to connect people and support economic success. And they have a central role to play in achieving decarbonisation goals. This is a collective industry challenge. Attend Euro Bus Expo this November and find out how it is being addressed.

Free registration For more information and to register for the free-to-attend trade exhibition, visit www.eurobusxpo.com.

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Minister Darragh OʼBrien Visits 184 New Social Homes Being Delivered by Respond in Galway

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh OʼBrien T.D, visited a number of construction sites in Galway comprising of 184 new social homes being delivered by Approved Housing Body Respond, in partnership with Galway City Council. The homes have been funded by a combination of private finance from the Housing Finance Agency and a loan from the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.

Respond currently have 1,404 homes in construction across Ireland.

Minister Darragh OʼBrien visited the first site at Gaelcarrig which is comprised of 83 homes (24 new social homes on the Circular Road in Galway with an adjacent site of 59 homes). He later visited another Respond site in Ballybane which is comprised of 101 homes. This brings the total number of homes under construction

by Respond in the Galway City area to 184 social homes. The homes are a mixture of apartments, duplex apartments, bungalows, semi-detached and terraced homes. The new developments will feature playgrounds, a basketball play area and at the Ballybane site EV Charging Points. All the homes have A2 BER ratings.

Respond currently has 184 homes in construction across Galway and 826 tenants living in 374 Respond homes across Galway city and county.

Niamh Randall, spokesperson for Respond, said that Respond looks forward to the 184 social homes being completed over the next few months and welcomes support from Government partners which are essential to the work of Respond in delivering much needed homes for families and children who need them.

“We are delighted to welcome the Minister for Housing, Heritage and Local Government, Darragh OʼBrien, TD to some of our developments in Galway today. We are pleased to continue working collaboratively with the Government to deliver social and affordable homes for households in need. These new developments represent 184 new social housing homes for 184 families and individuals who can create their homes and become part of a community here and we hope they will be very happy.

These developments are only possible with the ongoing co-operation of our partners. We would like to thank Galway City Council, the Department of Housing, Heritage and Local Government and the Housing Finance Agency. We are delighted to continue working with our partners to achieve shared goals and we remain committed to playing our part building homes throughout the country and providing services for families and individuals who are in need.

Over 90% of Respondʼs delivery is newly constructed homes. Over the last 40 years, we have amassed considerable experience in managing the construction process and our in-house design team has wide ranging expertise in all aspects of housing delivery.”

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Galway City Council on the Journey to Net Zero Emissions Greening the Laneways Galway City Council is partnering with local residents and young people in local areas to ʻgreenʼ city laneways and transform them into vibrant, playful and nature-friendly spaces for all of the community to enjoy.

The premise of the project is for local residents and young people to plant flowers, shrubs and an ʻedible landscapeʼ with the help of Galway City Council Parks staff. Local residents will then take over the maintenance of the planting in the future. Local residents and young people will also be involved in painting vibrant, nature-based murals along the laneways with the help of professional artists.

Recent laneways include Sliabh Rua in Ballybane, where residents worked with talented local artist Irene Naughton to create a wonderful mural. The next phase of the project will involve planting native trees and a wildflower garden. See https://youtu.be/aazzWLLckQs Shantallaʼs Red Lane was also recently completed by local residents and artist Sufek West, following an initial Greening the Laneways project at Rocky Road in Westside.

This initiative is funded by the Government of Ireland through Anti-Dumping Initiative Funding.

See www.galwaycity.ie/greening-the-laneways

Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil as an alternative to Diesel The Climate Change and Environment department have commenced a trial on Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) fuel as an alternative to diesel on a number of Galway City Council larger fleet - inclusive of 15tonne sweepers, 7.5tonne sweeper and 3.5tonne pickups. The scientific evidence indicates that HVO reduces tail pipe emissions by 80-90%. Sampling of tail pipe emissions in the GCC fleet is on-going, and will inform a proposal to change all diesel fleet to HVO. While there is an increased cost associated with utilising HVO fuel, the change would vastly reduce tail pipe emissions and greatly assist in reaching 2030 targets and reduce the need for investment in another ʻgap to targetʼ area.

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www.glasdon.com

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No Mow Areas Flourishing This year in Galway City, we are seeing the emergence of the Bee Orchid (Ophrys apifera) in a number of the No Mow areas across the city. This aptly named orchid resembles a bumble bee and is an adaptation the flower has developed to attract other bees for pollination purposes. The appearance of this Orchid is a direct result of our reduced mowing regime.

Bee Orchids in Claireview Estate, at City Hall and in Sruthán Mhuirlinne Estate Greening the Laneways

Accessibility and Age-friendly Environments Galway City Council will shortly open a new Changing Place facility at Ladies Beach, to facilitate people with mobility needs or disabilities, to change in a clean, secure, and comfortable facility, while visiting the beach.

Age Friendly seating has also been upgraded along the Prom, to encourage people of all ages to use the facility, which is home to one of Galwayʼs two Blue Flag beaches.

Future projects will review ramps and sand buggies for wheelchairs, as part of an overall accessibility plan for the Prom.

These initiatives build on previous work in Barna Woods, to provide a wheelchair friendly path linking Cappagh Park/ Community Centre and Barna Woods, and a new pedestrian crossing on the Barna Road – a popular route to the Blue Flag Beach at Silverstrand.

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Use Your Mug! Reusable Cup Campaign GCC is engaging with 10 cafes in the city which have agreed not to sell any single use coffee cups, in line with the recently approved levy on single use cups. ʻMugginsʼ – a giant coffee cup character – is visiting various parts of the city, as part of an awareness campaign to encourage Galwegians to ʻUse Your Mug!ʼ in conjunction with the Galway Volunteer Centre.

Galway City Council canteen is no longer selling drinks from single use cups, with all staff being provided with a reusable cup and water bottle in support of the initiative. Staff can also use their reusable coffee cups in cafes throughout the City, with many places offering a 20 cent discount.

School Streets Scoil Iognáid, Raleigh Row, became the first pilot ʻSchool Streetsʼ project in Galway, and the first city centre School Streets project in the country in 2020. A ʻSchool Streetʼ is a road outside a school with a temporary restriction on motorised traffic at school drop off and pick up times – creating a safer, calmer space for children, parents and residents to walk, scoot or cycle.

Evaluation of the pilot found that daily car use has reduced by 14%, and more children are walking (+11%), scooting (+3%) and cycling (+7%) on a daily basis. Staff report children arriving to school more ready to learn, with an improved atmosphere and reduced stress at the school gate. Parents and the wider community report a better walking and cycling environment, improved access and community spirit (see www.galwaycity.ie/schoolstreets).

The school is now participating in Safe Routes to School, with permanent Front of School infrastructure being progressed, in line with national design guidance.

This project is funded by the National Transport Authority, and delivered with the support of the Green-Schools Travel programme, An Garda Siochána, and the wider school community.

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Línte na Farraige Línte na Farraige is a set of visual light installations placed across Irish coastal sites, including at the Spanish Arch/ Claddagh Basin in Galway City, and funded by Creative Ireland. The installations are comprised of illuminated horizontal lines that represent future sea level and storm surges. The lines of light will be based on predictions of future sea level rise from international benchmarks, such as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Report AR6, and historical storm surge data.

The project will launch in Galway in September/ October 2022.

See www.creativeireland.gov.ie/en/blog/creative-climate-action-linte-na-farraige/

Clean it Up, You Dirty Pup! Galway City Council has launched a new dog fouling awareness initiative titled ʻClean it up you dirty pup!ʼ Galway City Council staff stencilled a ʻClean it up you dirty pup!ʼ message on footpaths in over 70 places around the City. Local volunteers from Residents Associations and Tidy Towns groups then use a spray to highlight individual dog foul with bright yellow spray paint. Spray paints are temporary and have minimal impact on the environment and will wash away after a few weeks but are key to creating a baseline of the issue and continuous evaluation.

In 2021 volunteers recorded a 60% drop in dog fouling in the trial areas.

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Envirocyl Quick Plumb Units Renewable heating technologies require a dedicated hot water storage cylinder with a larger coil to allow maximum heat transfer of renewable energy into the stored water.

The Firebird Envirocyl range of cylinders allow for the combination of different heat sources in an efficient, space saving and cost-effective manner. These cylinders have been specifically designed for use with the Firebird Enviroair Air Source Heat Pumps.

Priority hot water is enabled on all units, meaning that hot water is available on demand and the fast reheat and high insulation values make them highly efficient.

With a large proportion of the plumbing work already done at the manufacturing site, a pre-plumbed cylinder from Firebird in the UK can substantially cut onsite installation time by around 70%, reducing the amount of disruption to the customer. On installations using multiple cylinders, pre-plumbed cylinders help ensure consistency from one installation to the next.

In addition to significant reductions in installation times, pre-plumbed cylinders bring a consistency to each installation for a neater, more aesthetically appealing finish. They can also represent a substantial reduction in hassle and disruption to the homeowner or a house built as part of a planned build project.

With the most time-consuming aspects of the installation taken care of, all the plumber has to do is connect the Quick Plumb Unit, do a quick check of all the connections and it is ready for commissioning. solution that is cost-effective, but one that will stand the test of time.

For more information visit www.firebird.ie or email sales@firebird.ie

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How to win the budget war on your countyʼs roads…

In these times of budget cutbacks and being faced with overwhelming choices, given the number of roads in dire need of repair, renewal or just routine maintenance across the country as a whole; being presented with a solution out of the blue can be a bit like the medieval war chief, who when surrounded by overwhelming enemies and fighting a lost cause, was too busy to give a couple of minutes of his time to a traveller offering him a new technology consisting of a bag full of machine guns.

But wait…

Fibres arenʼt necessarily new when it comes to asphalt. Indeed, they are a common component in many mixes and used widely across the country. However, there are fibres and there are fibres.

FORTA-FI® fibres are not simple bitumen modifiers, such as cellulose, whose only function is to reduce bitumen drop out. The blend of aramid and polymer fibres are three times stronger than steel and provide a real, measurable, and offer well proven structural performance via the dispersion of millions of fibres throughout the whole of the asphalt matrix.

FORTA-FIʼs blend of aramid and polymer fibres have been tried and tested by leading international centres of asphalt technology, universities, and Department of Transport offices across the USA and Europe. With over 40 years of tried and proven applications in major highways, busy city roads, bridge decks, and even airport runways, fibre reinforced asphalt applications have seen proven life cycle extension of 40-50%.

I am sure that nobody in charge of their county budget for roads would be like the apocryphal medieval warlord and turn down a chance to add FORTA-FI to their countyʼs roads.

Contact Garry Martin, located in County Down for more information and samples – gmartin@fortacorp.com or +44 (0) 7776 738891.

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Guidance on specifying large span steel access solutions for Pump stations, Water and Wastewater treatment plants.

Selecting the correct access covers for water networks can be a daunting challenge with factors such as operator & public safety, ergonomics and asset security requiring equal consideration.

For chamber openings greater than 1 meter x 1 meter, the standard BS 9124 applies, which provides a clear adherence framework for manufacturers and design engineers to follow. Compliance to this standard is required under section 2.74 of the Irish Water Civil Engineering Specification Notes for Guidance.

Document No. TEC – 300-02.

The rigorous test procedures of BS 9124 guarantee a high factor of safety for clients and users, but for surety of compliance 3rd party accreditation should be insisted upon to assure diligence and best practice in reducing risks and identifying non- conformance.

Key elements in the design of BS 9124 compliant access covers to ensure a high factor of safety are: • Anti-Skid surface: A critical safety requirement is that covers have a suitably coarse skid resistant upper surface with a Polished Slip Resistance Value (PSRV) of greater than 40 rendering them safe to use under foot and wheel traffic.

• BS 9124 requires that the fall protection safety grids pass a Drop Test which all EJ fabricated safety grids comply with. The safety grid shall be capable of withstanding a 140kg mass applied over a footprint of 300x200mm and dropped from a height of 2m onto any point on the grid.

• Safety Stay bars: Hinged covers shall be fitted with a positive safety stay mechanism to prevent unintentional closure and keep it stable in the open position. Positive stay mechanism shall be capable of resisting a minimum horizontal force of 250 kg.

• Welderʼs accreditations: Mandatory under the standard is the requirement for welders and fabricators to be qualified to the BS 267-1 standard and tested annually.

To aid in the identification of compliant covers, there is also a mandatory requirement for specific markings to be a permanent, integral part of the cover and frame.

EJ in Birr are 3rd party certified by the NSAI for our steel covers over 1 M x 1 M to the full requirements of BS 9124.

Designed and fabricated in Birr, Co. Offaly.

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To be in full compliance these marking are: a)

Identification of the Standard - BS 9124:2008

b)

Category of Loaded Area

c)

The resistance to hydraulic surcharge in bar – where applicable

d)

Name of manufacturer

e)

Product identification - Catalogue no.

f)

Each element/ cover over 25kg shall be marked in kg

Please note the BS 9124 standard is complementary to EN 124-3:2015 (steel material) for openings up to and including 1 meter x 1 meter.

A recent installation of large span, BS 9124, 3rd party certified covers in a Pump Station, load rated to D400. A free On site survey was carried out by an EJ engineer to design a suitable access solution to solve the client and user issues on site

Understandably, there is a lack of knowledge in the industry of the higher performance demands and testing requirements of these standards, and to aid you in the specification of access and drainage solutions for Irish Water capital projects, EJ in Ireland can organise an Engineers Ireland approved CPD Lunch & Learn seminar.

This can be conducted online, or we can attend your offices.

As a specialist manufacturer, EJ in Ireland can advise project designers on how best achieve long term value and future proof networks with innovative, compliant access solutions in all material - ductile iron, steel and composite, across all critical infrastructure networks which will help protect Clients, Consultants and Contractors on projects.

Engaging with a reputable manufacturer who will commit to working with you through Design, Fabrication, and Installation phases will safeguard project programmes and budgets. Please contact the Business Development Team on 057 91 23100 for more information.

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Grant continues to support the deployment of renewable home heating technology With more than four decades of innovation, quality and high performance at the companyʼs core, Grant is supporting two important research initiatives aimed at reducing or eliminating the risk of low-income households being left behind in the transition to clean, smart, integrated energy systems.

The first of these initiatives supported by Grant is RULET – Rural-Led Energy Transition – led by the Ulster University and the Northern Ireland Housing Executive (NIHE). The initiative is part of the SPIRE 2 (Storage Platform for the Integration of Renewable Energy) project which is a €6.7m EU-funded, cross border project aimed at evaluating, developing, and facilitating the wide-scale deployment of consumer-owned energy storage technologies, to operate profitably in the changing energy markets in Ireland and the UK. RULET is focused on making the full benefits of smart energy technology available to the most vulnerable households in the western counties of Northern Ireland, a wind energy hotspot. This includes the installation of the Grant hybrid heat pump system which has been specially designed for social housing.

The first part of the RULET project aims to enable people to avail of agile tariffs - by running Grant heat pumps at a lower tariff - when wind energy is available and when there is flexibility to run an HVO biofuel fuelled boiler when the electricity grid is at its maximum capacity. This in turn allows energy providers and the homeowners greater flexibility around tariffs and energy requirements.

Continuing to support the deployment of renewables across the UK and Ireland, Grant has also collaborated with seven partners across five European countries, as part of the EU funded HANDIHEAT project. The aim of HANDIHEAT is to improve the energy efficiency and renewable solutions in housing and rural communities.

This includes improved thermal comfort and reduced energy bills.

In Fermanagh, six Northern Ireland Housing Executive homes had their cavity wall insulation improved and two low carbon, electric heating models were installed. This included the Grant Aerona3 R32 heat pump used in a hybrid model, working with a Grant Vortex condensing oil boiler. In this hybrid model the heat pump takes the lead in heating the property with the condensing oil boiler used during the colder weather.

The Grant A+++ Aerona3 R32 air to water air source heat pump used in both the RULET and HANDIHEAT projects, is Grantʼs most sustainable main heat source. Available in four outputs of 6kW, 10kW, 13kW and 17kW, the Grant Aerona3 R32 has quickly become a popular choice amongst plumbers and installers due to its cleaner, more environmentally friendly performance, and its ability to lower a propertyʼs overall carbon footprint.

Commenting on the companyʼs involvement in these initiatives Barry Gorman, National Renewables Sales Manager at Grant said, “We are delighted to be supporting both of these important initiatives and helping to advance the deployment of renewables throughout Ireland and the UK. Our hybrid heat pump system allows a 6kW Grant Aerona3 R32 air to water air source heat pump to run in tandem with an existing boiler installation.

Following basic energy efficiency upgrades carried out by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, the hybrid system runs at high efficiency using wind energy stored overnight which in turn helps to significantly reduce fossil fuel consumption and carbon emissions.”

Visit www.grant.eu for more information on Grantʼs involvement in the Spire 2 project. Follow Grant on Facebook and Twitter @GrantIRL or Instagram @Grant_IRL

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Over 2,400 Social and Affordable Homes to be Delivered across Galway City

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Government approval for major investment in Athlone project Located in the heart of the country, Athloneʼs growth will continue to a strong beat thanks to a significant Irish Water project coming its way.

News that Minister for Housing Local Government and Heritage, Darragh OʼBrien TD, announced cabinet approval for the Athlone Main Drainage Scheme was a milestone moment for Athlone and Irish Water's project team.

The project will significantly increase the capacity of the townʼs sewer network allowing for the development of homes and commercial premises and put an end to sewer overflows into the River Shannon in Athlone.

“Today's news follows a huge effort by the team in Irish Water and means we can now look forward to awarding the contract for the project and work beginning before the end of the year,” explained Irish Waterʼs Regional Delivery Lead Eunan Canavan."

The current network doesnʼt have the capacity for growth and there are frequent out of sewer floodings in the town, but this will all change when the upgrade is completed.

“When completed, this project will address non-compliant sewer overflows into the River Shannon and allow for current and future development,” added Eunan.

Announcing the approval Minister OʼBrien TD described the project as “pivotal” for the successful delivery of housing in the town.

“The project will cater for a growing population in Athlone and will facilitate economic development and importantly, safeguard the environment.”

The project includes the construction of new pumping stations, installing more than 2.8km of sewer network and decommissioning underperforming pumping stations and pipework all by the end of 2025.

Irish Water is conscious of minimising disruption in the town and, where feasible, plans to install the new sewers using specialist tunnelling techniques.

Irish Water previously invested €5.6million to increase the capacity of the Athlone Wastewater Treatment Plant in June 2018 and this latest project is further progress in the delivery of infrastructure to support housing and economic growth.

“Irish Water is working in partnership with all those who are committed to the goal of providing homes to ensure Irish Water can deliver water infrastructure where and when it's needed,” said Eunan.

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Upgrade to wastewater infrastructure to facilitate new housing development in Navan and Limekiln rish Water, working in partnership with Meath County Council, is progressing a major project to upgrade and improve the wastewater network, by constructing new sewer connections along the Dublin Road in Navan, Co Meath. The delivery of this essential sewer upgrade will support future economic growth and development, facilitating new housing development for Navan and Limekiln. It will also improve the capacity and performance of the existing sewer network, providing additional capacity within the network for new development and forms part of the greater Strategic Sewer Scheme for Navan.

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The project, which is due to begin next week will involve the upgrade of over 235 meters of new sewers along the R147 Dublin Road in Navan, and the project is expected to be completed by mid-October.

To deliver these works efficiently and safely temporary lane/road closures will be necessary during the works.

The sections impacted by these closures include a lane closure along the R147 from Monday, 15 August until Sunday, 11 September 2022 which will be in place from the Athlumney Abbey bus stop to the Springfield Glen/Bothar Sion junction. An additional lane closure will be required south of the junction from Monday, 26 September until Friday, 14 October 2022, while a road closure will be required along the Bóthar Sion Road from Monday, 12 September until Sunday, 25 September 2022.

Diversions for the Bóthar Sion Road closure will include the R147 (North Bound), R153-Metges Road-Bóthar Sion and the R147 (South Bound) Metges Road-Bóthar Sion.

Commenting on the project, Dave Murphy, Asset Delivery Lead at Irish Water said, “Working with our colleagues in Meath County Council, we are delighted to announce the progression of these vital works for Navan. A sewer network that is fit for purpose is essential to support business, housing, and social development in the community. These works will support existing and future development in the areas of Navan and Limekiln.”

Dave added. “We understand that the works may cause some inconvenience to commuters, and our crews will make every effort to minimise any disruption and complete the project as quickly as possible. On behalf of Irish Water, I would like to thank the people of Navan in advance for their support and co-operation.”

To minimise the impact on the local community during construction, a phased approach will be taken. Areas of work will be limited to short sections to limit the impact on the local community. Where works are along the public road, traffic management will be in place in the form of a stop/go traffic light system and diversions. Local and emergency traffic will be maintained at all times. Where potential road closures are required, Irish Water will ensure communication is provided locally.

This project is being delivered by Farrans Construction on behalf of Irish Water.

Irish Water and Meath County Council regret and any inconvenience these essential projects may cause. Our customer care helpline is open 24/7 on 1800 278 278 and customers can also contact us on Twitter @IWCare with any queries. For general updates, visit the Supply and Service Updates section of our website.

Irish Water is responsible for the delivery of all public water and wastewater services in Ireland. We are committed to continuously upgrading and developing critical infrastructure to support the growth needed in housing and across our economy, while protecting the environment and safeguarding water supplies.

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Crews to eliminate the discharge of untreated wastewater into Castlehaven Harbour Irish Water, working in partnership with Cork County Council, is delighted to announce that construction to build new wastewater infrastructure for the Castletownshend area has commenced. This important project will eliminate the discharge of untreated wastewater into Castlehaven Harbour, resulting in improved water quality that will enhance local amenities and add to a platform for social and economic development.

Glan Agua, who are carrying out the works on behalf of Irish Water, are expected to have the construction completed by mid-2023.

Speaking about today's milestone, Anthony Kavanagh, Asset Delivery Regional Lead with Irish Water, said: “We are delighted to be delivering this important project on behalf of the local community in one of the most beautiful coastal villages that Ireland has to offer."

“This significant investment will boost Castletownshend by enhancing the local environment and improve water quality for the likes of swimming, rowing, and sailing. Eliminating the discharge of untreated wastewater into Castlehaven Harbour will only add to the scenic views and coastal walks around Castletownshend."

Anthony added: “This project will involve the construction of a new wastewater treatment plant and new pumping station. It also involves upgrading the existing sewer network and construction of nearly a kilometre of new pipeline and outfall."

“We look forward to working with the local community in Castletownshend to deliver this essential project that will ensure cleaner and safer effluent being discharged into Castlehaven Harbour.”

Irish Water and our appointed contractor, Glan Agua, will continue to communicate with the local communities throughout the project. For more details on the project, please click here.

Any person or business wishing to get a new connection to public wastewater collection infrastructure must contact Irish Water. You can make a pre-connection enquiry to establish whether a connection to the public network is feasible, where the connection can be made and any associated charges.

For more information, please visit www.water.ie/connections.

Irish Water is responsible for the delivery of all public water and wastewater services in Ireland. We are committed to continuously upgrading and developing critical infrastructure to support growth in our economy, while protecting the environment and safeguarding water supplies.

In Cork, construction is underway to install wastewater treatment infrastructure in Castletownbere, Inchigeelagh and Whitegate-Aghada. Works are also planned to eliminate the discharge of raw sewage in Ballycotton.

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Construction starts on the Clarecastle Sewerage Scheme Irish Water is delighted to announce that construction has commenced on the Clarecastle Sewerage Scheme.

The new sewerage infrastructure to be constructed as part of this scheme will eliminate the discharge of raw sewage into the River Fergus and Shannon Estuary.

Irish Water, working in partnership with Clare County Council, are commencing with the installation of new b e l o w - g r o u n d infrastructure at the site of the existing Quay Road Pump Station and construction of a new rising main pipeline along Quay Road, Barrack Street and the Ennis Road that will transfer sewage from Quay Road Pumping Station for treatment at the existing Clareabbey Wastewater Treatment Plant.

Irish Water aim to have the project completed by mid-2023. Once operational, this infrastructure will ensure compliance with wastewater discharge regulations. It will also improve water quality in River Fergus and Shannon Estuary and protect recreational water whilst protecting the integrity of the local marine environment.

Speaking about the project, Seamus Glynn, Infrastructure Delivery Regional Lead with Irish Water, said: “We are looking forward to delivering this important project on behalf of the local community in Clarecastle. This project will put an end to the discharge of untreated wastewater into River Fergus and Shannon Estuary. It will enhance the local environment and provide a platform for social and economic development of the area well into the future."

“Starting to work on the the Clarecastle Sewerage Scheme is another milestone in eliminating the discharge of raw sewage throughout the Banner County. Works are also progressing to construct wastewater infrastructure in Liscannor and Kilrush."

“We look forward to working with the local community to deliver this essential project in conjunction with our partners Clare County Council. As we have to construct 1800 meters of pipeline, there will be traffic management in place. Works have initially commenced on private lands and will move onto public roads in the coming weeks and months where traffic management will be required. However, our intention is to cause as little disruption to the local community as possible. Irish Water and our appointed Contractor, Shareridge, will continue to communicate with the local community in Clarecastle regarding the upcoming works as well as throughout the project."

Any person or business wishing to get a new connection to public wastewater collection infrastructure must contact Irish Water. You can make a pre-connection enquiry in order to establish whether a connection to the public network is feasible, where the connection can be made and any associated charges. For more information, please visit www.water.ie/connections.

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Kilcummin Sewerage Scheme one step closer as Coffey Construction are appointed contractors There was more positive news today for the community of Kilcummin as Irish Water, working in partnership with Kerry County Council, announced Coffey Construction as the contractor for the Sewerage Scheme works that will commence in the coming months.

When complete, the scheme will provide a new sewer collection system for Kilcummin village, that will ensure wastewater from the village is treated appropriately.

Once operational, the new sewerage scheme will connect into the sewer network in Killarney town, where it will be collected and transferred to Killarney wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) for appropriate treatment.

Speaking about the works, David Shalloo, Wastewater Regional Delivery Lead with Irish Water, said, “The appointment of Coffey Construction illustrates our commitment to delivering this project for the community. All new infrastructure has been sized to accommodate future population growth and the project will enhance the local environment and provide a platform for social and economic development well into the future”.

The scheme will ensure compliance with wastewater discharge regulations. It will also improve water quality in the River Deenagh and Lough Leane and protect recreational waters for swimming, fishing, boating and sightseeing, as well as protecting the integrity of the local environment. The new wastewater infrastructure will enhance local amenities and provide a platform for social and economic development.

The new sewerage infrastructure to be constructed as part of this scheme will include a sewer network for Kilcummin village, a pumping station, and approximately 6 kms of sewers. The scheme will reduce the reliance on on-site systems such as septic tanks and package treatment plants.

Works on the project are expected to commence late in 2022, with the entirety of the project due for completion in 2024.

Irish Water and Kerry County Council will continue to update the local community in Kilcummin as we progress our work on this project.

For more information on this project please see: https://www.water.ie/projects/local-projects/kilcummin-sewerage-scheme/

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Turfs up in Sligo as sod is turned on new sewerage scheme for Rosses Point Rosses Point renowned for its stunning beaches and natural environment is undoubtedly a jewel along the Wild Atlantic Way. This week, the community of Rosses Point was riding high on the crest of a wave as Irish Water, working in partnership with Sligo County Council turned the sod on a new Sewerage Scheme for the village. Upon completion, the flagship project will eliminate all non-compliant sewer over-flows, improve water quality and support housing and commercial development.

A sod turning ceremony to mark the start of the works was performed by Leas Cathaoirleach of Sligo County Council, Councillor Marie Casserly, Martin Lydon, Chief Executive of Sligo County Council and representatives from Irish Water and Sligo County Council.

Speaking about the project Cathaoirleach of Sligo County Council, Councillor Michael Clarke said: “Iʼm delighted that works on Rosses Point Sewerage Scheme has commenced. The importance of this project for the local community and visitors alike cannot be underestimated. It will make a huge difference to the water quality of coastal areas in the Rosses Point area."

Michael continued: “Not only will we see a significant improvement in water quality in the natural environment but equally there will be improvements in the built environment. The benefits of these works in terms of the development of Rosses Point Village are immense – the capacity increase in the wastewater network will support social and economic development. People want to live and work in their own communities and this project is supporting the growth of Rosses Point Village now and into the future.”

Martin Lydon, Chief Executive of Sligo County Council also attended the event and added: “I am honoured to be here in Rosses Point to see works commencing on this hugely significant project. The provision of a reliable wastewater service, in a manner that protects the natural environment, is essential to the economic and social development of Rosses Point and Sligo County as a whole. Together with Irish Water we are witnessing yet another step in the right direction to achieving this overall goal.”

Irish Waterʼs Wastewater Programme Manager John Joyce is proud of the progress made on the project to get it to construction stage and is looking forward to the works progressing. He thanked the people of Rosses Point for their support as work continues over the coming months to deliver the vital infrastructure.

“Irish Water is committed to continuously upgrading and developing critical infrastructure to support the growth needed in housing and across our economy. This project will also protect our environment by eliminating all non-compliant sewer over-flows and improve water quality in bathing waters in the area."

“Together with our partners Sligo County Council, Coffey Construction Ltd and Jennings OʼDonovan Consulting Engineers, we are excited to deliver this project which will benefit the entire region when itʼs completed in 2023. Weʼll continue to work with the local community and keep them updated as we deliver this vital project.”

The project includes the decommissioning of the old Ballyweelin Wastewater Treatment Plant, construction of a new pumping station at the existing Ballyweelin site, upgrade of Rosses Point Village Pumping Station, construction of an underground stormwater storage tank as well as increasing the capacity of the existing sewer network. A new pipeline will also be constructed between the Rosses Point Village and Sligo Town. Once the project is completed, all wastewater from Rosses Point Village will be pumped into the Sligo Town wastewater network for treatment at the main Sligo Wastewater Treatment Plant.

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