Major upgrade to sewer network in Athenry to begin in March

26 January 2023

Uisce Éireann, working in partnership with Galway County Council, has announced that works to provide an upgrade to the sewer collection system for Athenry will commence in March. The new €13 million sewerage scheme will reduce the risk of sewer flooding and address the discharge of non-compliant sewer overflows into the River Clarin.

Once operational, it will also improve the capacity of the sewer network allowing for future population growth and supporting the social and economic development of Athenry and the surrounding area.

Speaking about the works, Eunan Canavan, Wastewater Regional Delivery Lead with Uisce Éireann, said,

“Today’s announcement signals a new beginning for the people of Athenry and delivering this project for the community is an immense source of pride for Uisce Éireann and Galway County Council. All new infrastructure has been sized to accommodate future population growth and the project will enhance the local environment and provide a platform for social and economic development well into the future”.

The scheme will ensure compliance with wastewater discharge regulations. It will also improve water quality in the River Clarin and protect recreational waters for fishing and sightseeing, as well as protecting the integrity of the local environment. 

The new sewerage infrastructure to be constructed as part of this scheme will include a new eastern collector sewer from the Cuirt Ard/Caheroyan Road junction to a new pumping station at Pairc na hAbhainn, and a rising main from this new pumping station to the Athenry Wastewater Treatment Plant.  A new western collector sewer will also be constructed from Gort Mhaoilir/Small Raheen Estate to the Athenry Wastewater Treatment Plant, and a separate pipeline from North Gate Street to connect to the Eastern Collector sewer to allow the removal of an existing stormwater overflow at North Gate St. The main pumping station at Caheroyan will also be decommissioned as part of the works. 

Works on the project are expected to commence in March, with the entirety of the project due for completion by the end of 2024. Coffey Construction (I) Ltd will deliver the works on behalf of Uisce Éireann.

Uisce Éireann and Galway County Council will continue to update the local community in Athenry as this project progresses.

Uisce Éireann has already invested €5m to increase the capacity of the Athenry Wastewater Treatment Plant to 9,500 Population Equivalent (PE). These works were completed in June 2019.

Uisce Éireann is responsible for the delivery of all public water and wastewater services in Ireland. We are committed to continuously upgrading and developing critical infrastructure to support the growth needed in housing and across our economy, while protecting the environment and safeguarding water supplies.