The coastal County Cork village of Ballycotton Bay is set to undergo a series of key wastewater improvements.

Uisce Éireann and Cork County Council are beginning work to construct a new wastewater treatment plant and wastewater network in Ballycotton as part of a €16.3 million investment. These works will protect coastal waters and end untreated wastewater being discharged directly into Ballycotton Bay.

Uisce Éireann's Delivery Programme Manager, Anthony Kavanagh said: "Ballycotton is one of our beautiful coastal villages in County Cork and is hugely popular for tourists and natives alike for fishing, walking, and outdoor sports.

"Ending the daily discharge of 860 wheelie bins of raw sewage into Ballycotton Bay will provide cleaner water, enhance Ballycotton's value as an amenity and encourage social and economic development."

The Ballycotton Sewage Scheme involves the construction of a new treatment plant that will serve a population equivalent of 1,082. It will be located on a site currently used for agricultural purposes, to the South-West of Ballycotton Main Street. A new below-ground pumping station on Ballycotton Pier will transfer wastewater to a second pumping station on Cow Lane via a rising main and then a gravity sewer. The project also involves the construction of nearly 2km of pipeline. 

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Uisce Éireann has been engaging with impacted stakeholders with a view to commencing works in April. The scheme will require traffic management and we will keep stakeholders informed as the project progresses. The project is due for completion in Summer 2024 with the majority of construction works completed by early 2024. Glan Agua will deliver the project on behalf of Uisce Éireann.

Speaking about Uisce Éireann's work county-wide, Anthony continued: "The scale of investment in Co. Cork and delivery of another critical sewage scheme is hugely significant. Communities in Cork continue to benefit from Uisce Éireann's progress in improving wastewater treatment and enhancing water quality. 

"We have recently completed Inchigeelagh Sewerage Scheme and in 2022 we completed the Castletownbere Sewage Scheme – ending the equivalent of over 1,700 wheelie bins of raw sewage being discharged into Bantry Bay per day. We are also progressing with new wastewater projects in Whitegate-Aghada and Castletownshend. 

"Developing new infrastructure in well-established towns and villages is challenging and I want to thank the local communities in Cork, Glen Agua, and our colleagues in Cork County Council for working together on another vital project in Co. Cork."