The first sod has been turned at the multi-million euro Mullingar Sewerage Improvement Scheme on the site of the new trunk sewer in the Lynn Industrial Estate, Mullingar in Westmeath.

The Mullingar Sewerage Improvement Scheme is a major infrastructure project aimed at improving existing infrastructure, with the purpose of providing capacity that is essential for the future development of Mullingar.

The key features of the Mullingar Sewerage Improvement Scheme is the upgrading and extension of the existing waste water treatment plant; and the upgrading and upsizing of the existing sewer pipes for Mullingar and environs, with the purpose of relieving existing overloading.

The scheme encompasses three key phases.

The first is the Design Build and Operate (DBO) Contract. This will see the upgrading and extension of the existing Waste Water Treatment Plant in Clonmore from the existing design capacity of 20,000 PE (people equivalent) to an interim capacity of 30,000 PE within six months from signing of the contract, with an ultimate capacity of 55,000 PE after 24 months

-- Advertisement --

As well as the provision of a sludge treatment centre for 104,000 PE at the Waste Water Treatment Plant at Clonmore; a main lift pumping station on Lynn Road with a capacity to serve an estimated 45,000 PE; a storm storage tank; new Westmeath Council accommodation building and laboratory in Cullionbeg that is habitable within six months after signing of the Contract; and demolition of existing Lynn Road Pumping Station.

Construction works for the implementation of the above through the DBO Contract with Veolia Water Ltd commenced in June 2008.

Contract value for the Design and Build Element of the DBO Contract is €24.9m.

The construction period is two years, with a contractual completion date of June 2010. The second component of the scheme is the construction of the Interceptor Sewer.

This contract is valued at €8.2m and has been awarded to Pierse Contracting Ltd.

The construction works comprises an interceptor sewer pipe that varies from 900mm diameter from Robinstown down to Springfield at Royal Canal Crossing; 1200mm diameter under the Royal Canal and down to Pearse Street; 1500mm diameter from Pearse Street through the Town Park and along Sundays Well Road to the Bleach Yard; 1800mm diameter from the Bleach Yard, crossing the railwayline, and through the industrial estate all the way to the new Lynn Road Pumping Station.

The Interceptor Sewer will serve the future development of Robinstown, and along the way it will collect sewage from the existing infrastructure and drain it towards the Lynn Road Pumping Station.

The construction period for the Interceptor Sewer is 18 months. Construction completion is March 2010.

The third component of the scheme is the replacement of hydraulically and structurally deficient combined sewers in the existing sewer system; and the construction of sewers in outlying areas to cater for future development.

It is anticipated that construction on this phase of the Mullingar Sewerage Improvement Scheme will commence towards the end of 2009.

(PR/JM)