Ballinasloe €3 million watermains project gets go-ahead

By Martina Nee

Galway County Council has been given approval by Environment Minister Phil Hogan to proceed with advance works for the Watermains Rehabilitation and Main Drainage Works Project for Ballinasloe town at a cost of more than €3 million.

Minister Hogan announced this week that approval has been given to the local authority to proceed with the project which he described as “vitally important”. He added that the project, which is funded under the department’s Water Services Investment Programme 2010-2012, “will greatly expand the quality and scale of the water and wastewater infrastructure in the town and will provide capacity to support economic growth and to facilitate new development, while also preserving environmental and water quality standards”.

It is understood that the works will provide surface water pipelines which will provide surface water separation and prevent surcharging/flooding and that combined sewers will be laid alongside the surface water pipelines. Under the main drainage works, which will coincide with the watermains rehabilitation, Galway County Council will replace 4,300m of watermains. In total 3,626m of surface water and combined sewers are proposed to be constructed in conjunction with the rehabilitation works. An additional 439m of sewer, the pumping station at Brackernagh and 240m of rising main will also need to be constructed to ensure the proposed sewers are operational.

Minister Hogan concluded: “In the case of the Advance Works for Watermains Rehabilitation and Main Drainage Works Project in Ballinasloe town, it will now be a matter for Galway County Council to advance the scheme with the view to seeking tenders and having the works commence as soon as possible