Irish Water has submitted an application for a Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) to An Bord Pleanála which is essential for the delivery of the Falcarragh sewerage scheme.
The order will allow the water company, which is working in partnership with Donegal County Council to formally acquire the lands required for the project.
Irish Water will publish the public notice for the CPO to acquire the necessary lands, and wayleaves and the CPO will also be submitted to An Bord Pleanála.
Consultations have been on-going with all landowners identified on the proposed scheme – however, Irish Water was unable to acquire all of the required wayleaves and lands on a voluntary basis.
The proposed scheme will end the discharge of approximately 1,300 wheelie bins of poorly treated sewage into Ballyness Bay per day.
Speaking about the project Colm Claffey, Irish Water, commented:
“Irish Water is increasing investment in wastewater infrastructure year on year and has planned to increase spending on wastewater projects in the existing Capital Investment Plan. Many of wastewater projects are currently in the design and planning stage and expenditure during this stage is significantly lower than during construction. Consequently there will be a large increase in wastewater expenditure over the next few years up to the end of 2021.”
Irish Water is working in partnership with Donegal County Council to end the discharge of poorly treated wastewater into Ballyness Bay with a significant investment in the Falcarragh sewerage scheme.
The existing sewerage works were originally constructed in 1959 and consists of primary treatment only which is currently overloaded.
Key elements of the scheme will include:
- Construction of a new Wastewater Treatment Plant at Ballyness which will serve a population equivalent of approximately 1,675
- Construction of a tidal tank and tidal valve to restrict discharge to periods of high tide only in Ballyness Bay
- Decommissioning and demolition of the existing septic tank in Ballyness
- Construction of a new wastewater pumping station and demolition of the existing pumping station at Ballyconnell
- Construction of a new CSO chamber and mechanical screen in Ballyness to replace the existing unscreened overflow
Irish Water intends to submit a planning application to Donegal County Council in autumn 2019.Subject to statutory approvals, it is envisaged that planning, design and construction will take approximately 3 years and will be undertaken between 2018 and 2021, with the construction works expected to commence in late 2019.
HUBER Technology UK & Ireland are inviting people to register for their March webinar where they will be providing information about HUBER water intake screens for municipal and industrial applications.

Hear how United Utilities is accelerating its investment to reduce spills from storm overflows across the Northwest.