Irish Water, in partnership with Cork County Council, is working to end the decades-long practice of discharging untreated sewage into Cork Lower Harbour and clean up the harbour through its investment in the Cork Lower Harbour Main Drainage Project.

The next four weeks will see a major road closure while Irish Water’s contractors Ward and Burke Group Ltd carry out essential work in the Passage West area.

The work to deliver the Cork Lower Harbour Main Drainage Project and end the discharge of raw sewage into the Cork Lower Harbour will be completed in 2021.

The project consists of:

• A new wastewater treatment plant at Shanbally
• 14 new pumping stations
• 30km of new sewers
• Repairs to 25km of old pipes
• A drilled crossing under the estuary

Cork Harbour is the second largest natural harbour in the world. Located at the estuary of the River Lee it has significant environmental importance and is used for a variety of recreational activities such as fishing, rowing, swimming, sailing and windsurfi ng.

When all the works are complete, the project will treat all wastewater from Passage West, Monkstown, Ringaskiddy, Crosshaven, Carrigaline, Glenbrook, Shanbally, Coolmore and Cobh. This means 20,000 homes and businesses will be connected to the new scheme and that raw sewage will no longer be discharged into the Harbour. At present, the equivalent of 20,000 wheelie bins of sewage is discharged into the harbour every day.

The practice is in breach of national and European legislation and means Ireland is currently in contravention of the European Union Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive.