Upperchurch water treatment plant to be decommissioned under Irish Water proposal

Upperchurch's water treatment plant is to be decommissioned under proposals put forward by Irish Water following its acceptance of the Regional Water Resources Plan – Eastern and Midlands (RWRP-EM).

The plan, which Irish Water says will safeguard public health, support growth and meet the challenges of climate change across the East and Midlands region over the next 25 years, also incudes the controversial €1.3bn pipeline from below Lough Derg to the Greater Dublin Area and 14 surrounding counties.

Irish Water published the consultants' report on the plan this Tuesday.

Among the findings following the consultation process was that the initial preferred approach for Upperchurch water resource zone (WRZ) was to increase the existing groundwater abstraction and upgrade the water treatment plant.

However, further to a review of existing water treatment plant infrastructure raw water quality and feedback received at consultation workshops it was determined the level of upgrade required at the water treatment plant was greater than initially assumed as the existing UV treatment would need to be replaced.

On reviewing the feasible options to consider the additional costs associated with the required water treatment plant upgrade, the preferred approach for the WRZ has been amended to rationalise Upperchurch WRZ to the Kilcommon WRZ and decommission the existing water treatment plant in Upperchurch.

The full plan can be viewed and downloaded at www.water.ie/rwrp/eastern-midlands