Ending of raw sewage discharge in Cork Lower Harbour
Ending of discharge from Passage West and Monkstown marks major milestone.
Uisce Éireann, in partnership with Cork County Council, is working to end the decades-long practice of discharging raw sewage directly into Cork Lower Harbour with the Cork Lower Harbour Main Drainage Project.
We have successfully completed the connection of Ringaskiddy, Passage West and Monkstown to the Shanbally Wastewater Treatment Plant which means that raw sewage from these areas will no longer discharge directly into the harbour. This is a significant milestone for the project and means 30,000 of the 40,000 wheelie bins of raw sewage that were discharging daily into Cork Lower Harbour when the project commenced in 2015, are now being treated before safe discharge to the harbour. This will lead to a big improvement in water quality in the harbour as well as facilitating future social and economic development in the area.
Equivalent of 30,000 wheelie bins of sewage now being treated daily
The volume of sewage being discharged into the harbour was halved initially through the construction of the Shanbally Wastewater Treatment Plant and connection of Crosshaven, Carrigaline and Shanbally. The network in Carrigaline, Ringaskiddy, Passage West, Glenbrook and Monkstown was extended, with Ringaskiddy Village connected to the treatment plant in October 2018. Now the wastewater from Passage West, Glenbrook and Monkstown is also being pumped for treatment to the treatment plant. So, instead of raw sewage being discharged to the harbour, the equivalent of 30,000 wheelie bins of sewage is being treated daily and discharged safely to the harbour.
Eamon Gallen, Managing Director
"This project is hugely important to improving the quality of water in Cork Lower Harbour. The completion of the network works on the south side of the harbour and the connection of Passage West and Monkstown is a significant milestone in our journey to a sewage free harbour. I would like to thank the communities and the businesses for their cooperation and patience with these essential works."
Work now commencing on Northern side of the harbour
Work is now commencing on the Northern side of the harbour, both on the Cobh to Monkstown Estuary Crossing and on the Cobh sewer network. An information evening on the Cobh networks works will be held on Tuesday 16th July from 4.30pm to 8.00pm at Commodore Hotel, Cobh.
When works in Cobh are complete in 2021, the raw sewage from Cobh town will be collected and transferred for treatment via the Cobh to Monkstown Estuary Crossing to Monkstown pumping station, from where it will be pumped to Shanbally Wastewater Treatment Plant for treatment before its safe discharge to the harbour.
When all the Cork Lower Harbour Main Drainage works are complete in 2021, the project will, in compliance with the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive, treat all wastewater from the agglomerations of:
- Ringaskiddy-Crosshaven-Carrigaline
- Ringaskiddy village
- Passage West-Monkstown
- Cobh town
20,000 homes and businesses connected to new scheme
This means 20,000 homes and businesses will be connected to the new scheme and that raw sewage from these areas will no longer be discharged into the harbour, positively impacting the local economy and greatly improving the amenity value of the Cork Lower Harbour for the surrounding communities.
For more information on the project, information days and works information please contact the project team at corklowerharbour@water.ie or view our Cork Lower Harbour section of this website.