Ballina set to have its water treatment plant decommissioned under Irish Water plan

Ballina's water treatment plant is to be decommissioned and amalgamated with a new plant at Birdhill under proposals put forward by Irish Water following its acceptance of the Regional Water Resources Plan – Eastern and Midlands (RWRP-EM).

The plan, which Irish Water says will safeguard public health, support growth and meet the challenges of climate change across the East and Midlands region over the next 25 years, also incudes the controversial €1.3bn pipeline from below Lough Derg to the Greater Dublin Area and 14 surrounding counties.

Irish Water published the consultants' report on the plan this Tuesday.

The initial preferred approach for Killaloe water resource zone (WRZ) was to upgrade the existing water treatment plant.

However, further to a review of existing water treatment plant infrastructure and the raw water quality it was determined the level of upgrade required at the plant was greater than initially assumed.

The water exhibits high pH levels, and the hardness of the water is eroding services and resulting in failures of service connections, according to the Irish Water report.

On reviewing the feasible options to consider the additional costs associated with the required water treatment plant upgrade, the preferred approach for the Killaloe WRZ has been amended to rationalise Killaloe WRZ to the Newport WRZ and decommission the existing water treatment plant in Killaloe.

Killaloe will obtain supply from the proposed new water treatment plant at Birdhill and form part of the Regional Preferred Approach, which can resolve need in multiple WRZs across study areas, the report states.

The full report can be viewed or download at www.water.ie/rwrp/eastern-midlands