A new contract has been awarded to upgrade the existing treatment tanks in the Ringsend Wastewater Treatment Upgrade project in Dublin.

Irish Water appointed CAW-TES-Farrans Consortium to mark the start of the next major element of the project, which will introduce a new technology to allow a greater volume of wastewater to be treated to a higher standard. Works on the construction of a new 400,000 population equivalent extension at the Ringsend Wastewater Treatment Plant commenced in 2018 and is due to be completed in the first half of 2021.

This is the first of four contracts to retrofit the secondary treatment tanks at the plant with Aerobic Granular Sludge (AGS) Technology. The works are being carried out on a phased basis to ensure that, as far as possible, the plant can continue to treat wastewater from the Greater Dublin Area at current treatment levels throughout the upgrade. Works under the first Retrofit contract are anticipated to take 12 months and are due to start in the coming weeks. The second contract is at procurement stage and is expected to commence in early Q3 2021.

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The Ringsend Wastewater Treatment Plant, which treats approximately 40% of Ireland's public wastewater, is currently overloaded and is not in compliance with the EU’s Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive.

Jean Hobbs, Project Manager with Irish Water, said: "Having adequate wastewater treatment infrastructure is essential to safeguard the environment and to facilitate housing and commercial development. These works will allow the wastewater generated every day in our homes, schools and workplaces to be treated in compliance with the EU and national wastewater treatment regulations and returned safely to Dublin Bay."