Construction has officially begun on a €7 million investment project to overhaul the wastewater infrastructure in North County Wicklow. Lead contractor Coffey Construction is carrying out the upgrades on behalf of Uisce Éireann, with the project designed to increase capacity and support long-term residential and economic growth in Kilcoole and Newtownmountkennedy.

The scope of the works involves significant upgrades to the existing wastewater pumping stations in both villages. These improvements are intended to provide greater resilience to the local network, ensuring it can accommodate the projected increase in demand from new developments. By modernising these critical sites, the project will unlock the capacity required for approximately 1,600 new homes in the region.

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, James Browne TD, welcomed the start of the project: "The commencement of this project is very welcome news for the communities in Kilcoole and Newtownmountkennedy. Improvements in the capacity of the wastewater network will bring tangible benefits and provide the required infrastructure to service existing and new developments in the area, including much-needed new housing.

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"The Government's new housing plan 'Delivering Homes, Building Communities' will see the state take a bigger role in all aspects of housing delivery, including continued investment in public water services. The more efficient planning and delivery of critical infrastructure such as these pumping stations will support and enable the accelerated delivery of housing in Wicklow as well as associated facilities and services."

Ciaran Ryan, Programme Manager at Uisce Éireann, added: "This project is part of our commitment to deliver wastewater services necessary to support sustainable housing and economic development for Wicklow communities. By investing in the wastewater infrastructure, we are enabling future growth while safeguarding essential services for current and future generations."

The construction is being managed entirely within the boundaries of the existing pumping station sites, meaning no traffic disruption is anticipated for local residents during the build. The project is currently scheduled for completion by mid-2027.

These works are part of Uisce Éireann's national Growth and Development Programme, which focuses on targeted investment to expand water and wastewater capacity to meet the goals of the Government's housing and national planning strategies.