Irish Water and Carlow County Council have officially opened new Wastewater Treatment Plants in Rathvilly and Hacketstown - the projects which represent an overall investment of €2.8 million in wastewater treatment in Co Carlow.
The new wastewater treatment plants in Rathvilly and Hacketstown will bring many benefits to the communities, including protection of the local waterways by ensuring that the wastewater is treated effectively before being returned to the environment.
The new plants replace facilities which dated from 1954 and were not capable of meeting the demands of the growing population or of complying with modern environmental standards. As a result of this limited capacity, population growth in the area was constrained, while the quality of effluent being discharged into local waterways was significantly below standard.
James O’Toole, Wastewater Operations Lead with Irish Water, commented:
“The importance of investing in Ireland’s water and wastewater treatment cannot be overstated. Effective treatment of wastewater is essential in protecting our rivers and coastal areas. By 2021, as outlined in the Irish Water Business Plan, we aim to have all discharges to our rivers and seas treated before being released. This investment of €2.8 million in state-of-the-art wastewater treatment plants in Rathvilly and Hacketstown moves us another step closer to that goal.”
The new wastewater treatment plants in Hacketstown and Rathvilly were built at a cost of €1.45m and €1.35m respectively. Both have been designed to provide state-of-the-art biological treatment of wastewater before it is returned safely to the environment.
Treated effluent from both plants is continually monitored to ensure that it meets the EPA wastewater discharge licence requirements. The treatment plants will be operated by Carlow County Council in partnership with Irish Water.
The development of the two treatment plants will also facilitate social and economic growth by providing the treatment capacity for the current and future populations of the area.
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