Approval at Cabinet for investment in Ringsend water plant

The Government has given the green light for a €500 million upgrade of the Ringsend Waste Water Treatment Plant to bring it into compliance with European standards.

Ireland is subject to a current European Court of Justice case for infringing the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive.

The work on the plan will ensure that Ireland returns to compliance, Minister for Housing Darragh O’Brien told Ministerial colleagues after bringing a memorandum to Cabinet on the matter.

The plan is located on the Poolbeg peninsula and currently treats over 40 per cent of the State’s waste water. As such is is one of the largest treatment plants in Europe.

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The upgrade will involve further secondary treatment capacity that will cater for a population of as many as 400,000 people. New biological treatment technology will reduce the levels of nitrogen and phosphorous in the water by the end of 2021.

The 24 secondary treatment tanks in the plan will be retrofitted and a new facility will help recover phosphorous.

The expansion of the plan’s sludge treatment facilities is also envisaged. That alone will cater for up to 2.4 million of the population.

The work on the upgrade is due to be completed by 2025.