Uisce Éireann’s ability to support further growth and new housing connections remains under review after a judicial review was taken against a major sewage and drainage scheme for Dublin.
The water utility was granted planning permission for the Greater Dublin Drainage Project in July and said the capital faced the danger of some homes being turned down for planning if the project did not proceed.
The €1.3 billion scheme is due to service north Dublin and parts of Meath and Kildare, will provide wastewater treatment for half a million people and is regarded as important because the water treatment plant in Ringsend is currently at full capacity.
Objectors had an eight-week window to take a judicial review of the decision and today the agency was told that such an application has been made.
In a statement, Uisce Éireann said it is disappointed by the development which it said will delay the project and that it hopes the judicial review process will progress quickly to allow it to deliver what it described as vital infrastructure.
A map of the proposed Greater Dublin Drainage and Sewage Project (Pic: Uisce Éireann)
Uisce Éireann’s Director of Infrastructure Delivery Maria O’Dwyer, said: “Uisce Éireann is disappointed at this latest delay to this major national infrastructure project for which planning was first submitted for planning in 2018.
“Given population growth since then, the Greater Dublin Drainage project has become even more critical to support Dublin’s current and long-term social and economic development, particularly in regard to the provision of much-needed new housing across the Greater Dublin Area.
“Uisce Éireann hopes that the GDD case will progress quickly through the Judicial Review process so that we can commence delivery of this vital infrastructure project as soon as possible”
“In the absence of clarity and certainty on the timeline for the delivery of the GDD project Uisce Éireann will continue to optimise available network capacity at the Ringsend wastewater treatment plant.
“However, given potential capacity constraints the ability to support further growth and new housing connections will remain under review,” she added.
The project consists of a new regional wastewater treatment facility on a 30-acre site at Clonshaugh.
There will also be an underground orbital sewer from Blanchardstown to Clonshaugh and an outfall pipe at Baldoyle to return treated wastewater to a discharge point 6km out to sea.
Uisce Éireann is also working to upgrade the Ringsend treatment plant.
The Greater Dublin Drainage Project was due to be operational until 2032 but the judicial review could now impact that timeline.