Irish Water is progressing with its plans to develop much-needed wastewater infrastructure in Moville – the utility is planning to build a wastewater treatment plant in Moville to ensure that untreated wastewater is no longer discharged into Bredagh River and Lough Foyle.

Photo: Raw sewage being discharged in Moville

At present Moville has no municipal wastewater treatment facilities and the discharge of raw sewage into the Bredagh River has seen it classified as being ‘Seriously Polluted’ by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Untreated wastewater from Moville is currently being discharged into the Bredagh River and Lough Foyle at five locations polluting the beaches and coastline. Irish Water wants to build a new wastewater treatment plant and collection system in Moville to end the practice. The equivalent of approximately 2,800 wheelie bins of untreated wastewater is currently being every day.

The new plant will facilitate the decommissioning of more than 15 temporary treatment plants in housing developments in Moville and allow for applications to be made to connect them to the public sewer.

It will also stop ongoing pollution at local beaches and ensure compliance with national and EU regulations relating to the treatment and discharge of wastewater. The water company’s plans include:

• New wastewater collection sewers in Moville;
• A new wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) at Carnagarve serving a population equivalent (PE) of 3,500;
• A new below-ground pumping station including pumps, mechanical plant, storm water storage tank and storm overflow at River Row, Moville;
• A new outfall pipe that will safely discharge treated wastewater into Lough Foyle, approximately 200-300m from the shoreline, at a depth of at least 10m at low tide.
• New wastewater pipelines to transfer untreated wastewater to the new pumping station
• New wastewater pipelines to transfer untreated wastewater from the new pumping station to the WwTP

At a recent meeting the water company told Donegal Parliamentary constituency members of the Oireachtas that discharges from the new treatment plant via an outfall pipe would not pollute the coastline and destroy the beaches. Instead, the new treatment plant will dramatically improve the water quality along the coastline ensuring the beaches are protected from wastewater pollution.

Irish Water also took the opportunity to dispel the claim that the European Court of Justice ruled against the planning permission granted by An Bord Pleanála and that all complaints made by a member of the public were rejected by the court as far back as 2013.

A statement by Irish Water said:

“The Court upheld An Bord Pleanála’s decision to grant planning permission, stating that the evidence “overwhelmingly demonstrates that the sooner this project commences the better. It is a great pity it has been delayed so long.” The planning permission granted for the scheme is still valid along with the CPO which was confirmed by An Bord Pleanála.”

The project is in the planning and design stage and Irish Water is currently undertaking on-the-ground investigations and engaging with landowners and the local community. Once the investigations are complete the utility expects to submit a planning application to the planning authority for their consideration by the end of 2019.

Irish Water is still completing detailed design of the scheme. Indicative plans have been prepared for the WWTP and Pump Station.

Detailed design and construction will be completed by 2022, subject to statutory approvals.