The new Feakle Sewerage Scheme and the upgraded Scarriff-Tuamgraney Sewerage Scheme have been officially opened, bringing the total spend to close on Eur50 million on water services schemes completed by Clare County Council in the past two years. The adjoining towns of Scarriff-Tuamgraney are located on the shores of Lough Derg, and have had a municipal collection system and basic treatment facilities since the early 1960s. However, the limitations of the existing scheme necessitated an upgrade to meet Clare County Council’s environmental and strategic development objectives, having particular regard to the sensitivity status of Lough Derg and its associated catchment rivers.
The schemes were grouped with Quilty-Mullagh on the West Clare coast for procurement purposes and planning permission under Part VIII procedures was completed in 2003, with Land Acquisition and Wayleave notification was issued in 2004, with over 70 landowners directly affected. In 2006 a partial grant for the grouped scheme of Eur8.8 million was approved by the Department of the Environment Heritage & Local Government, leaving Clare County Council to fund the remaining Eur6 million from its own resources.
The overall project was constructed under two main contracts, beginning in 2007. The first of these commenced in late 2007 with the awarding of the network (civil) contract to P&D Lydon Plant Hire of Cong, County Mayo. This contract consisted of new foul and stormwater collection sewers for Feakle and new and upgraded sewers for Scarriff. To maximise efficiency in infrastructural upgrades significant water main replacements were also undertaken. This contract was completed in December 2009. This contract was administered on behalf of Clare County Council by White Young Green/J B Barry.
The second major contract (Design Build & Operation) was awarded in 2009 to TSSL of Athenry, County Galway, and now following a commissioning period which commenced in 2010 the scheme is fully operational. Under this contract TSSL completed construction of the new wastewater treatment plants at Baurroe, Feakle and Drewsborough, Scarriff. Nicholas O’Dwyers supervised the contract on behalf of Clare County Council. TSSL now trading as Coffey Water. will continue to operate and maintain the new treatment plants on behalf of Clare County Council until 2031.
Through the duration of the construction period work has been completed on over 2.5km of new sewers, and 1km of new watermain in Feakle, as well as over 6km of new and upgraded sewers in Scarriff, and 4km of watermain. The new wastewater treatment plants will be operated by Coffey Water on behalf of Clare County Council under licence to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
The Feakle & Scarriff-Tuamgraney sewerage scheme was constructed under a (bundled) grouped scheme along with Quilty-Mullagh for an overall cost of just under Eur15 million. Over Eur7 million of this cost is attributable to the Feakle (Eur2.7 million) and Scarriff-Tuamgraney (Eur4.3 million) scheme. The proportional cost is significant due to the extensive infrastructure constructed as well as the particular sea outfall requirements.
In the last two years Clare County Council has completed upgrading of sewerage schemes in Tulla, Clonlara, Corofin, and Newmarket-on-Fergus to a value exceeding Eur10 million. Clare County Council has also overseen a spend of in excess of Eur30 million in water supply schemes in Ennis, Newmarket-on-Fergus, West Clare (Kilkee), and connection of the Ballyvaughan water supply scheme to the regional supply.
Under the 2011 review of the Water Services Investment Programme approvals have just been announced to the value of Eur3 million for an upgrade of the Ennis(North) Wastewater Treatment Plant at Clonroadmore and Eur0.7 million for the interconnection works to link the Ennis and Shannon regional water supply schemes. Upgrades of sewerage schemes for Shannon, Kilkee and Kilrush are advancing through planning, and a Eur6 million rehabilitation contract will commence construction by the end of 2011.
The current (2010-2012) Water Services Investment Programme Sewerage includes schemes to be constructed in Ennis-Clarecastle, Shannon, Kilrush and Kilkee at an estimated cost of up to Eur70 million. In addition to this, Water Conservation funding of Eur6 million will be spent in the duration of the programme.