Irish Water is on Wednesday to submit a planning application to An Bord Pleanála for a new wastewater treatment facility in north Dublin.
The planning application for the Greater Dublin Drainage (GDD) project proposes a new regional wastewater treatment facility in Clonshaugh, along with an underground sewer from Blanchardstown to Clonshaugh, a new pumping station at Abbotstown and an outfall pipeline to return the treated water to the Irish Sea.
The project also includes a regional sludge treatment centre at Clonshaugh and an associated biosolids storage facility at Newtown, Co Dublin.
Irish Water said if approved, the project will provide capacity to treat wastewater for up to 500,000 people in north Co Dublin and parts of Cos Kildare and Meath.
The utility said the population of the greater Dublin area is projected to increase by almost half a million people by 2040. Continued population growth and increased commercial activity means the volume of wastewater generated in greater Dublin is projected to increase by more than 50 per cent over the next 30 years.
Irish Water also said it recently submitted a separate application to An Bord Pleanála for strategic infrastructure to further progress the upgrade to the Ringsend wastewater treatment plant “to meet the immediate needs of the region”.
Jane Chambers, project manager of GDD said the project will help ensure that wastewater generated every day in homes, schools and workplaces will continue to be treated safely in compliance with EU and national wastewater treatment regulations.
“The GDD project will form a key part of the wastewater network that is necessary to safeguard public health, protect the environment and support the sustainable growth of the greater Dublin area,” she said.
An Bord Pleanála is due to commence a seven-week statutory public consultation from June 28th. Members of the public and interested parties can make observations and submissions on the planning application to An Bord Pleanála until August 17th.
