Shanbally Wastewater Treatment Plant in Cork has officially commenced operations.

Irish Water has teamed up with Cork County Council on the €117 million Cork Lower Harbour Main Drainage Project.

50% of the raw sewage previously discharging into the lower harbour from Carrigaline, Crosshaven and Shanbally is now treated and returned safely to sea.

The project is delivering significant improvements to water quality in Cork Lower Harbour by ending the current practice of the discharge of raw sewage directly into the harbour. The scheme is designed to cater for the 20,000 existing homes and businesses along with planned domestic and commercial developments and future developments.

In addition to the commencement of operations at the treatment plant at Shanbally, work has also recently started on the repair and upgrade of the sewerage network on the south side of Cork Lower Harbour including Carrigaline, Monkstown, Passage West and Ringaskiddy, and work in Cobh is expected to start in 2018. On completion of the project all wastewater from Cobh, Passage West, Glenbrook, Monkstown, Carrigaline, Ringaskiddy and Shanbally will be diverted to the new wastewater treatment plant at Shanbally.

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Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government, Simon Coveney TD, said: "This project is hugely important to improving the quality of water in Cork Lower Harbour. This will bring huge benefits to communities right across the harbour as we seek to promote this fantastic amenity at the heart of our city for visitors and residents alike. It is shocking that raw sewage has been discharged for so many years directly to the harbour, but we are now addressing this problem with an investment in wastewater infrastructure that will facilitate future growth and development and support tourism across the region.

"I am delighted to see that so much progress has already been made and that the wastewater treatment plant at Shanbally is now operational. We’ve halved the level of raw sewage flowing directly into the harbour and we will continue to see the benefits as more areas are connected to the new treatment plant over the coming years. This investment by Irish Water highlights the need for a national utility with the expertise and funding to address the deficits in water and wastewater infrastructure throughout the State."

(CD/MH)