Irish Water, in partnership with Wicklow County Council, has completed a €5.5 million investment in a new wastewater treatment plant for Dunlavin.

The new plant is now delivering a higher level of wastewater treatment, meeting all current environmental standards, and also has the flexibility to expand the capacity to meet any future growth in population.

Two older treatment plants at Milltown, which was built in 1985, and Logatryna, which was built in 1932, are now decommissioned. Both plants were in poor condition and overloaded and as a result the effluent quality to the River Greese did not meet required environmental standards. The new treatment plant at Milltown caters for a population equivalent (PE) of 2,400 (expandable to 3,600 PE) which will ensure a continued high level of treatment, meeting all environmental standards, to serve existing communities and future population growth.

“This project is part of our ongoing investment aimed at addressing the most serious deficiencies in the water and wastewater network,” said Michael Tinsley, Waste Water Capital Programme Lead at Irish Water. “Completions of major pieces of infrastructure such as this in Wicklow are delivering significant benefits to communities across the country and ensuring that the infrastructure can keep pace with social and economic development, while also protecting the natural environment. I would like to thank Wicklow County Council, the contractors Geda/Ovivo JV and RPS for their support in delivering this project. We are delighted that the residents and businesses in Dunlavin will now have a modern wastewater network capable of meeting all current and future needs while also protecting and maintaining the water quality in the River Greese.”

In addition to Irish Water’s investment in the new wastewater treatment plant for Dunlavin, Irish Water is reviewing the water infrastructure for the area to ensure it will continue to meet the requirements for the area going forward. Once this study is completed Irish Water will be able to update residents on any work that may be required.