'State of the Art' Treatment Plant for Sligo
Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Dick Roche, TD welcomed the signing of the Sligo Main Drainage Contract as ‘an historic day for Sligo.’ The €22 million treatment plant will be of major benefit to Sligo and the northwest, facilitating tourism, housing, commercial and recreational developments. The ‘state of the art’ treatment plant will mean the elimination of untreated discharges into Sligo Bay and will enable Sligo County Council to fulfil its obligations under EU Directives.
Pictured at the signing of the Sligo Main Drainage contract were: Front L-R: Hubert Kearns, County Manager, Jim McGarry, Cathaoirleach, Jonathan Foster, Anglian Water International. Back L-R: Seamus Concannon, Director of Services, Tom Bower, Anglian Water International, Minister Dick Roche, TD.
The construction of a new waste water treatment 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.
On a visit to Sligo to address a Water Services conference, Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Dick Roche, TD hailed the signing of the Sligo Main Drainage Contract as ‘an historic day for Sligo.’ He was accompanied by Cathaoirleach Councillor Jim McGarry, County Manager Hubert Kearns and members of the project team.
The Cathaoirleach Councillor McGarry welcomed this ‘landmark development for Sligo and the northwest’ and paid tribute to the elected members and staff for progressing the project to contract stage. The state of the art treatment plant will mean the elimination of untreated discharges into Sligo Bay and will enable Sligo County Council 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 20 year contract includes the provision of a Main Pumping Station, Waste Water Treatment Works, Outfall, Sludge Treatment Centre and the provision of Sludge Management Facilities at various outlying treatment plants. The Contract is a Design Build and Operate form of Contract with an operation and maintenance period of 20 years.
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
This will all be in accordance with the objectives of the Sligo and Environs Development Plan 2004 - 2010.
Background
Construction work will commence late this year and commissioning of the new works is expected to be complete during autumn of 2008. The Contractor is Anglian Water International Ltd. and the design build cost will be €22.4m incl. VAT. During the first year of service, the projected operational cost is estimated at €1.1m incl. VAT.
Sludge Hub Centre
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. The sludge arising from the waste water treatment plant to be provided under this contract, together with the imported sludges, must receive the appropriate treatment to reach the standards necessary to be classified as Class A Biosolids and for reuse by spreading on agricultural land.
Facilities for Sludge Satellite Centres will be provided at three outlying existing waste water treatment works, the locations of which are in accordance with the Sligo Sludge Management Plan.
Sligo Harbour is an area of significant importance for bird life with the Cummeen Strand being designated an Area of Scientific Interest. In view of its importance as a feeding place for flocks of Brent Geese and Widgeon from October to April, Cummeen Strand is acknowledged as a site of international importance.
Estuary Waters
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 oyster 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 vital importance to the general region. The quality of the beaches in Sligo Bay i.e. Culleenamore, Coney Island, Lissadel, Ardtermon and Yellow Strand offers exceptional tourism potential and all the beaches are acknowledged swimming locations.
The provision of the new treatment work and the consequent improvement of water quality in the bay will ensure protection of these natural assets.
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County Hall, Riverside,
Sligo,
Co. Sligo.
GPS : Irish Grid 169896, 335864
Tel:071 9111111
Fax:071 9141119 Email:info@sligococo.ie
