Ballycotton Sewerage Scheme

Uisce Éireann has successfully completed the construction of the €16.3  million Ballycotton Sewerage Scheme eliminating the discharge of raw sewage into Ballycotton Bay. 

Ballycotton is a small fishing village in East Cork overlooking Ballycotton Bay. This project was needed to protect coastal waters and end collected untreated wastewater being discharged directly into Ballycotton Bay.

Ballycotton was identified by the Environmental Protection Agency(EPA), as an area where wastewater was discharged into Ballycotton Bay without any treatment.  The practice of discharging raw sewage into receiving waters is no longer acceptable.

Uisce Éireann constructed a new wastewater treatment plant and  associated network infrastructure in Ballycotton to ensure wastewater is adequately collected and treated.

The new sewerage scheme will end the discharge of over 860 wheelie bins of raw sewage into Ballycotton Bay per day, and will ensure that wastewater discharges into the bay meet required standards. 

Glanua completed these works on behalf of Uisce Éireann.

The project included the following: 

• Construction of new treatment plant that will serve a population equivalent of 1082, which is located on a site previously used for agricultural purposes, to the Southwest of Ballycotton Main Street.
• Construction of a new below ground pumping station on Ballycotton Pier. This pumping station will transfer wastewater to a second pumping station on Cow Lane via a rising main and then a gravity sewer.
• Construction of new below ground pumping station on Cow Lane. This pumping station will transfer wastewater to the treatment plant via a rising main.
• Construction of over 1.4 kilometres of new sewer pipeline.
• Construction of a new outfall pipe which will carry treated wastewater from the plant to the existing outfall, adjacent to Cow Lane, for safe discharging to Ballycotton Bay.
• Landscaping and associated ancillary works.
• New public toilets on Ballycotton pier
• To minimise further disruption to local stakeholders, Uisce Éireann took this opportunity to also install 1.5 kilometres of new water mains in addition to road resurfacing works on behalf of Cork County Council. 

• The new wastewater treatment plant (WwTP) will end the practice of discharging untreated wastewater into Ballycotton Bay.
• Cleaner water will enhance Ballycotton’s amenity value and act as a platform for social and economic development.
• The project includes the capacity for future growth in the area, new connections for housing and development can now be accepted
• The wastewater treatment plant will bring benefits in terms of health and integrity of the environment.
• Improve the water quality for recreational swimming, surfers, fishing, boating and sightseeing. 
   

Uisce Éireann would like to thank the local community for their patience and cooperation whilst we delivered this essential project.