Page 6 - COBH EDITION 18th OCTOBER DIGITAL VERSION

The next step towards eliminating raw sewage in
Cork Lower Harbour

Works began recently on the Cobh Town Networks Contract– the next step towards
eliminating raw sewage in Cork Lower Harbour

Cobh Town Wastewater will be collected in this sewer network and pumped via the
estuary crossing to Shanbally Wastewater Treatment Plant for safe discharge to
Cork Lower Harbour

Works on the pipelines and pumping stations as part of the Cobh Town Networks
Contract went ahead on 7 October 2019. This contract is part of the Cork Lower
Harbour Main Drainage Project, which represents an investment of €144 million by
Irish Water, working in partnership with Cork County Council, to end the decades-
long practice of discharging raw sewage directly into Cork Lower Harbour. When
works on this contract are completed in 2021, the raw sewage from Cobh Town’s
public networks will be treated, completing the connection of 20,000 homes and
businesses to the Cork Lower Harbour Main Drainage Project, protecting the envi-
ronment, facilitating economic development and providing for a growing population.
The Cobh Town Networks contract includes the construction of 5 pumping stations
and approximately 7 km of sewer pipes required to end the practice of raw sew-
age discharging from 19 outfall pipes around Cobh Town, directly into Cork harbour.
Works are expected to begin at 4 locations around Cobh in October, with construc-
tion of sewer pipes beginning in the West Beach/East Beach area of the town centre
and the R624 at Ballynoe, while works commence on the pumping stations at Old
Town Hall, Lynch’s Quay and at Station Carpark. The works will take approximately
2 years to complete.

Farrans Sorensen Joint Venture, the contractor working on behalf of Irish Water to
deliver this project, has carefully planned these works in consultation with the lo-
cal community. The programme of works takes into consideration the considerable
feedback that we received from the Cobh Community throughout the planning of
the works. This engagement will continue throughout the project, with information
available from our project team at Corklowerharbour@water.ie and on our website
at www.water.ie/corklowerharbour. We also have a full time community liaison of-
ficer dedicated to the project.

Déaglán Healy, Project manager for Cork Lower Harbour Main Drainage Project said
“When we started construction of this project in 2015, the equivalent of 40,000
wheelie bins of raw sewage was discharging into the Harbour every day. We are now
treating the equivalent of 30,000 of that 40,000 wheelie bins figure by completing
the Shanbally Wastewater Treatment Plant and pipelines and pumping stations on
the south side of the harbour so that wastewater from Ringaskiddy, Crosshaven,
Carrigaline, Passage West and Monkstown is now being treated. Works will begin in
October in Cobh Town. We are committed to working with the local community in
Cobh to minimise the impact of these works. I would encourage Cobh residents and
businesses to contact the project team and register for regular project updates at
corklowerharbour@water.ie to help us keep you informed as we work together to
clean up our harbour.”