Works on the first phase of the Mullingar Sewerage Improvement Scheme is due to be completed later this year, according to Michael Reale of Pierse Contracting Ltd who are one of main contractors for the scheme. The multi-million euro Mullingar Sewerage Improvement Scheme is one of the biggest infrastructure projects ever undertaken in the Westmeath capital. The scheme, which is valued at over EUR70 million, is aimed at improving existing infrastructure and with the purpose of providing capacity that is essential for the future development of Mullingar. The county town has experienced a population boom in the past decade, and given that this trend is set to continue for the foreseeable future, Westmeath County Council have committed themselves to upgrading and further expanding the waste water treatment plant to augment the sewerage network within the town through the implementation of this scheme. The investment of important infrastructure such as the Mullingar Sewerage Improvement Scheme plays an important part in promoting Mullingar's status as a Gateway Town as designated in the National Spatial Strategy. The key features of the scheme are the upgrading and extension of the existing waste water treatment plant, and the upgrading/upsizing, where necessary, of the existing sewer pipes for Mullingar and environs with the purpose of, and to allow for future development of the town and its environs. There are two major contractors on the scheme - Pierse Contracting Ltd and Veolia Water Ireland. Pierse Contracting, which is one of Ireland's leading building and civil engineering firms, were last year awarded the entire pipe-laying contract, while Veolia have been contracted to upgrade and expand the Clonmore Waste Water Treatment Plant and Lynn Road Pumping Station. The official sod turning ceremony for the Mullingar Sewerage Improvement Scheme was performed on September 1 last by the chairman of Westmeath County Council, Joe Whelan, marking the commencement of this critical infrastructural investment in Mullingar. Work on Phase One has been progressing well since then, with Pierse Contracting's contracts manager Michael Reale predicting that their contract will be completed by the end of the year. "It's coming along nicely from our point of view," he explains. "We started last September and hope to have all pipes laid by the end of the year. The work on the treatment plant and pumping station will go on a bit longer, probably until the middle of next year. "What we are doing is laying a very deep sewerage system which will cater for Mullingar's ever-expanding population. The unusual thing about our work is that you don't really see an end product because it's all buried underground. "Apart from getting the job done properly, the most important thing is that we don't inconvenience too many people. There's a lot of tunnelling involved, but we're trying to keep water and traffic disruption to a minimum." Michael, whose son Damien captained Limerick in their 2007 All-Ireland hurling final defeat to Kilkenny, says his company was delighted to be awarded such a prestigious contract. "This is a major contract and we were very pleased to be awarded it. There's a great working relationship between ourselves and Westmeath County Council, as well as the consulting engineers, JB Barry & Partners and White, Young, Green," he adds. Westmeath County Council executive engineer Nico Willemse is also pleased with how work on the scheme is progressing, and already has one eye on Phase Two. "We hope to secure funding for Phase Two next year. But because of the economic downturn, it's a grey area at the moment," the South African native explains. The Mullingar Sewerage Improvement Scheme consists of three important components which are being implemented as follows: - Design Build and Operate (DBO) contract for the upgrading and extension of the existing Waste Water Treatment Plant in Clonmore from the existing design capacity of 20,000 PE (people equivalent) to an interim capacity of 30,000 PE within six months from signing of the contract, with an ultimate capacity of 55,000 PE after 24 months, - The provision of a sludge treatment centre for 104,000 PE at the Waste Water Treatment Plant at Clonmore. - A main lift pumping station on Lynn Road with a capacity to serve an estimated 45,000 PE. - A storm storage tank. - New Westmeath Council accommodation building and laboratory in Cullionbeg that is habitable within six months after signing of the contract. - Demolition of existing Lynn Road Pumping Station. Construction works for the implementation of the above through the DBO Contract with Veolia Water Ltd commenced in June 2008. The Contract Value for the Design and Build Element of the DBO Contract is EUR24.9m. The construction period is two years, with a contractual completion date of June 2010. The second component of the scheme is the construction of the Interceptor Sewer. This contract is valued at EUR8.2M and has been awarded to Pierse Contracting Ltd. The construction works comprise the following: - An interceptor sewer pipe that varies from 900mm diameter from Robinstown down to Springfield at Royal Canal Crossing, 1200mm diameter under the Royal Canal and down to Pearse Street, 1500mm diameter from Pearse Street through the Town Park and along Sundays Well Road to the Bleach Yard, 1800mm diameter from the Bleach Yard, crossing the railwayline, and through the industrial estate all the way to the new Lynn Road Pumping Station. The Interceptor Sewer will serve the future development of Robinstown, and along the way it will collect sewage from the existing infrastructure and drain it towards the Lynn Road Pumping Station. - Decommissioning of the existing Bleach Yard pumping station. - Interception of spills from combined sewer overflows (CSOs) along the route of the new Interceptor Sewer. The construction period for the Interceptor Sewer is 18 months. Construction completion is March 2010. The third component of the scheme is the replacement of hydraulically and structurally deficient combined sewers in the existing sewer system, and the construction of sewers in outlying areas to cater for future development. It is anticipated that construction on this phase of the Mullingar Sewerage Improvement Scheme will commence in autumn 2009. Impact of Construction on Residents and Members of the Public: The following brief programme provides estimation when construction work on the interceptor sewer will affect particular areas of Mullingar pending soil conditions and other construction difficulties that might affect construction progress: - Interceptor Sewer from the existing Lynn Road Pump Station along Lynn Road to Bleach Yard - October 2008 to August 2009. - Interceptor Sewer from Bleach Yard to Buckleys Public Car Park via the Town Park - September 2008 to March 2009. - Interceptor Sewer through Buckleys Public Car Park and Royal Canal Crossing - May 2009 to October 2009. - Interceptor Sewer from Royal Canal and sewers in Robinstown. - April 2009 to September 2009. The construction of manholes will follow the construction of the Interceptor Sewer. The scheme is being funded under the Water Services Investment Programme 2007-2009 published by the Department of Environment Heritage and Local Government. The current approved allocation for this Scheme is EUR72.1 million. Westmeath County Council's contribution to this cost, based on the current approved allocation, is 34 per cent or EUR24.5 million which will need to be raised locally. Westmeath County Council, in conjunction with the contractor, has commenced a comprehensive information programme to inform businesses and members of the public of the impact of the scheme. Tweet

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