Work has been completed on two water treatment plants in Ireland.

The plants are located in Rathvilly and Hacketstown.

The projects which represent an overall investment of €2.8 million in wastewater treatment in Co Carlow.

The new wastewater treatment plants will bring many benefits to the communities, including protection of the local waterways by ensuring that the wastewater is treated effectively before being returned to the environment. The development of these two treatment plants will also facilitate social and economic growth by providing the treatment capacity for the current and future populations of the area.

-- Advertisement --

The new treatment plants replace facilities which dated from 1954 and were not capable of meeting the demands of the growing population or of complying with modern environmental standards. As a result of this limited capacity, population growth in the area was constrained, while the quality of effluent being discharged into local waterways was significantly below standard.

Deputy Pat Deering, TD for Carlow-Kilkenny, said: "We are very pleased to be here today to mark the completion of this very significant project for Co Carlow. Adequate wastewater treatment is absolutely essential for the growth and development of any community and these plants have been designed to cater for the existing population as well as projected population growth over the coming years.

"Not only does this investment support development in this area, it also helps protect local waterways – in this case the River Slaney, River Derreen and the wider river network, by ending the practice of discharging inadequately treated wastewater into these waterways."

(CD)