THE STATE is to spend €220 million to upgrade Dublin’s municipal sewage plant at Ringsend, which has been working at overcapacity since it opened eight years ago.
The plant, which cost €300 million, brought to an end the dumping of more than 40 million gallons of raw sewage into Dublin Bay each day when it opened in June 2003.
However, while the plant substantially improved water quality, a noxious smell persistently affected the surrounding communities of Ringsend, Irishtown and Sandymount for years after its opening, largely due to the plant’s inability to cope with the volume of waste pumped in from the city’s sewerage system.
In November 2003 the city council reached agreement with the government to extend the plant, which had the capacity to deal with the sewage of approximately 1.7 million people but was receiving sewage equivalent to a population of 1.9 million.
Work on the extension could not go ahead until the odour problem had been resolved. Almost €40 million was spent on odour alleviation measures and by the end of 2008, the problem was substantially addressed.
In July 2010 the Environmental Protection Agency issued a waste water discharge licence to allow for the extension and upgrade of the licence. To comply with the terms of the licence, work must by completed by 2015. The council will next month begin public consultation on the upgrade which will take three years to complete.
The work will involve extending the capacity of the plant to a 2.1 million population equivalent on a seven-acre site within the curtilage of the current facility and the construction of a 9km pipeline to bring the treated waste water outside Dublin Bay for disposal.
Waste water processed by the plant is discharged directly into Dublin Bay. Council executive manager Pat Cronin said the plant was “struggling” to meet discharge standards for water quality in the bay.
The “greenest and most economical” solution was to stop all discharge into the bay and instead construct a pipeline under the sea bed which would bring the treated effluent 9km out to a point approximately in line with Howth and Killiney. This would be “outside sensitive waters” Mr Cronin said, and would allow the final effluent to be diffused out to sea.
While the extension will ease the strain on the capital’s sewerage system, a new regional sewage plant is still required. Planning for the new plant, which will serve Dublin city and county as well as parts of Meath and Kildare, is under way and a shortlist of sites is expected to be published later this month.
The need for a second large-scale municipal plant was confirmed in a study published by the Dublin local authorities in 2005. The Greater Dublin Strategic Drainage Study identified Portrane as the best site but Fingal councillors rejected the plan and ordered a review of the study.
The review, completed in 2007, found existing sewerage systems were not adequate to cope with demand and that a single regional treatment plant was best. It recommended that the plant still be located in the “northern greater Dublin area”, but not necessarily Portrane. It did not rule out Portrane, which may still be one of the shortlisted locations.
Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Showing posts with label ringsend sewage plant. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ringsend sewage plant. Show all posts
Monday, 3 October 2011
Friday, 19 November 2010
Bad smell in Ringsend costs city council €24m
Dublin City Council is facing a final bill of more than €24 million for eliminating long-term odour problems from its controversial Ringsend wastewater treatment plant.
The council will have to pay €19.6 million of the final bill itself, with the contractors for the project, ABA, paying €4.6 million.
A spokesman for the local authority confirmed that it was currently examining whether there was ‘‘any consequent liability on the part of any of the relevant parties and whether this would be covered under the council’s own professional indemnity insurances’’.
This examination was conducted following a written request to do so by the Department of the Environment.
In a written update on the issue to the Dáil’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) recently, the Department’s Secretary General, Geraldine Tallon, said the council did not consider that it could force the contractor to meet the full cost of the ‘‘odour work’’ as part of the contract. This was ‘‘because of lack of clarity in relation to responsibilities relating to odour standards and the excess loading on the plant’’.
The Department will examine the final accounts for the scheme before deciding on the council’s eligibility for grant funding to cover the extra costs of the odour works, Tallon said.
An independent report into the historic problems of bad odours at the €300 million plant, carried out by consultant Brendan Fehily, said that elements of the operations contract agreed between Dublin City Council and construction and operations consortium ABA, were ‘‘either a serious error of judgment or a mistake’’.
The Fehily report found that calculations for the plant’s ultimate capacity were flawed, with some 225,000 users unaccounted for.
The work to remove the odour problems was conducted in 2008 and the Fehily report noted that the plant had a very positive effect on the water quality in Dublin Bay. The plant, built in 2003, was the first such waste water plant in the state to be acquired using a DBO (design, build, operate) contract.
Tallon said that the same odour and capacity problems would have arisen even if the plant had been procured under a traditional form of contract.
The Sunday Business Post
www.buckplanning.ie
The council will have to pay €19.6 million of the final bill itself, with the contractors for the project, ABA, paying €4.6 million.
A spokesman for the local authority confirmed that it was currently examining whether there was ‘‘any consequent liability on the part of any of the relevant parties and whether this would be covered under the council’s own professional indemnity insurances’’.
This examination was conducted following a written request to do so by the Department of the Environment.
In a written update on the issue to the Dáil’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) recently, the Department’s Secretary General, Geraldine Tallon, said the council did not consider that it could force the contractor to meet the full cost of the ‘‘odour work’’ as part of the contract. This was ‘‘because of lack of clarity in relation to responsibilities relating to odour standards and the excess loading on the plant’’.
The Department will examine the final accounts for the scheme before deciding on the council’s eligibility for grant funding to cover the extra costs of the odour works, Tallon said.
An independent report into the historic problems of bad odours at the €300 million plant, carried out by consultant Brendan Fehily, said that elements of the operations contract agreed between Dublin City Council and construction and operations consortium ABA, were ‘‘either a serious error of judgment or a mistake’’.
The Fehily report found that calculations for the plant’s ultimate capacity were flawed, with some 225,000 users unaccounted for.
The work to remove the odour problems was conducted in 2008 and the Fehily report noted that the plant had a very positive effect on the water quality in Dublin Bay. The plant, built in 2003, was the first such waste water plant in the state to be acquired using a DBO (design, build, operate) contract.
Tallon said that the same odour and capacity problems would have arisen even if the plant had been procured under a traditional form of contract.
The Sunday Business Post
www.buckplanning.ie
Thursday, 22 January 2009
€35m sewerage plant payment defended
Dublin City Council and the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government have defended the payment of €35 million to the developers of the Ringsend sewerage plant, which has emitted foul odours since its construction in 2003.
Minister for the Environment, John Gormley TD last year ordered an inquiry after it emerged that the company responsible for its design, construction and operation - ABA (Anglian Water Group, Black & Veatch and Ascon) - was paid the settlement. The inquiry, conducted by consultant Brendan Fehily, found that the contract between the council and ABA allowed odour levels 20 times higher than those stipulated in the project’s environmental impact statement.
This was “either a serious error of judgment or a mistake” Mr Fehily said. He also found the capacity needed had been underestimated by the equivalent of waste from 225,000 people. The inquiry’s report, published last November, has been presented to an Oireachtas environment committee. Mr Fehily said the odour problems were mostly “created by inadequate design and equipment failure”.
When asked by Fine Gael Senator Paudi Coffey about the settlement, Tom Corcoran, Assistant Secretary with the Department of the Environment, said it could have been higher. “The final sum was €35 million, but €171.8 million had been the claim from the contractor for additional costs” associated with solving the odour problem, increasing sludge-drying capacity, upgrading electricity standards and dealing with additional waste. After negotiations, €100 million remained in dispute - Mr Corcoran said - and “a €35 million settlement was reached”.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Minister for the Environment, John Gormley TD last year ordered an inquiry after it emerged that the company responsible for its design, construction and operation - ABA (Anglian Water Group, Black & Veatch and Ascon) - was paid the settlement. The inquiry, conducted by consultant Brendan Fehily, found that the contract between the council and ABA allowed odour levels 20 times higher than those stipulated in the project’s environmental impact statement.
This was “either a serious error of judgment or a mistake” Mr Fehily said. He also found the capacity needed had been underestimated by the equivalent of waste from 225,000 people. The inquiry’s report, published last November, has been presented to an Oireachtas environment committee. Mr Fehily said the odour problems were mostly “created by inadequate design and equipment failure”.
When asked by Fine Gael Senator Paudi Coffey about the settlement, Tom Corcoran, Assistant Secretary with the Department of the Environment, said it could have been higher. “The final sum was €35 million, but €171.8 million had been the claim from the contractor for additional costs” associated with solving the odour problem, increasing sludge-drying capacity, upgrading electricity standards and dealing with additional waste. After negotiations, €100 million remained in dispute - Mr Corcoran said - and “a €35 million settlement was reached”.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Thursday, 15 January 2009
€35m sewerage plant payment defended
DUBLIN CITY Council and the Department of the Environment have defended the payment of €35 million to the developers of the Ringsend sewerage plant, which has emitted foul odours since its construction in 2003.
Minister for the Environment John Gormley last year ordered an inquiry after it emerged that the company responsible for its design, construction and operation, ABA, was paid the settlement. The inquiry, conducted by consultant Brendan Fehily, found the contract between the council and ABA allowed odour levels 20 times higher than those stipulated in the project’s environmental impact statement.
This was “either a serious error of judgment or a mistake,” Mr Fehily said. He also found the capacity needed had been underestimated by the equivalent of waste from 225,000 people. The inquiry’s report, published last November, was this week presented to an Oireachtas environment committee. Mr Fehily said the odour problems were mostly “created by inadequate design and equipment failure”.
When asked by Fine Gael Senator Paudi Coffey about the settlement, Tom Corcoran, assistant secretary with the Department of the Environment, said it could have been higher. “The final sum was €35 million, but €171.8 million had been the claim from the contractor for additional costs” associated with solving the odour problem, increasing sludge-drying capacity, upgrading electricity standards and dealing with additional waste. After negotiations, €100 million remained in dispute, Mr Corcoran said, and “a €35 million settlement was reached”.
Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Minister for the Environment John Gormley last year ordered an inquiry after it emerged that the company responsible for its design, construction and operation, ABA, was paid the settlement. The inquiry, conducted by consultant Brendan Fehily, found the contract between the council and ABA allowed odour levels 20 times higher than those stipulated in the project’s environmental impact statement.
This was “either a serious error of judgment or a mistake,” Mr Fehily said. He also found the capacity needed had been underestimated by the equivalent of waste from 225,000 people. The inquiry’s report, published last November, was this week presented to an Oireachtas environment committee. Mr Fehily said the odour problems were mostly “created by inadequate design and equipment failure”.
When asked by Fine Gael Senator Paudi Coffey about the settlement, Tom Corcoran, assistant secretary with the Department of the Environment, said it could have been higher. “The final sum was €35 million, but €171.8 million had been the claim from the contractor for additional costs” associated with solving the odour problem, increasing sludge-drying capacity, upgrading electricity standards and dealing with additional waste. After negotiations, €100 million remained in dispute, Mr Corcoran said, and “a €35 million settlement was reached”.
Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Thursday, 3 July 2008
Inquiry into €35.6m Ringsend sewage plant payment
MINISTER FOR the Environment John Gormley has ordered an independent inquiry into the Ringsend sewage plant following the payment by Dublin City Council of an additional €35.6 million to the developers of the facility.
The council said last night that it would co-operate with the Minister's inquiry but has not clarified why the contractors, the ABA consortium, should be given additional money.
It is understood the money relates to work undertaken to eliminate the odours that emanated from the plant since it opened in 2003.
The plant has made a substantial improvement to the water quality in Dublin Bay. However, residents of the surrounding suburbs of Ringsend, Sandymount and Irishtown have had to contend with a persistent foul odour since the plant began operations.
The council and ABA, a construction and operations consortium involving Ascon, sewerage specialists Black Veatch and Anglia Water, have made several attempts to resolve the problem.
In April 2005 the council said it would refuse to sign off on the €300 million project until ABA eliminated the problem.
The council was also seeking reimbursement of the €1 million it has invested in odour-abatement measures.
Later that year the council decided to spend an additional €5 million of public money on the odour elimination programme, but maintained that the consortium would still foot the bill for the capital costs of the necessary systems and machinery. The €5 million was associated with the annual cost of processing the city and county's waste, assistant city manager Matt Twomey said.
Now, however, it appears the council has made an additional payment of €35.6 million to cover ABA's costs, despite having given assurances that the public purse would not bear the brunt of the defects in the plant.
The council would not say last night why it has handed over the money, but in a statement said it was its priority to resolve issues relating to odours from the works.
"The necessary works are on time and within budget and will be completed in the autumn as previously announced," it said.
"The city council will co-operate with the independent investigation which the Minister has announced," the statement concluded.
Mr Gormley has sanctioned the council's payment to ABA, but said he wanted an inquiry to resolve the questions surrounding the design and capacity of the plant and the efforts to deal with the odour issue.
"There were protracted delays at commissioning and testing of the new plant in 2002 when it experienced difficulties in achieving the required performance standards. In addition, odour problems were experienced within a short time of the plant coming into operation."
Damien Cassidy of the Ringsend Environment Group said he was aghast that "a bonus" had been paid."€36 million at a time of economic depression.
"For what? For creating a smell that people down here had to put up with since July 2003? It's pungent."
OLIVIA KELLY and ADAM HARVEY
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
The council said last night that it would co-operate with the Minister's inquiry but has not clarified why the contractors, the ABA consortium, should be given additional money.
It is understood the money relates to work undertaken to eliminate the odours that emanated from the plant since it opened in 2003.
The plant has made a substantial improvement to the water quality in Dublin Bay. However, residents of the surrounding suburbs of Ringsend, Sandymount and Irishtown have had to contend with a persistent foul odour since the plant began operations.
The council and ABA, a construction and operations consortium involving Ascon, sewerage specialists Black Veatch and Anglia Water, have made several attempts to resolve the problem.
In April 2005 the council said it would refuse to sign off on the €300 million project until ABA eliminated the problem.
The council was also seeking reimbursement of the €1 million it has invested in odour-abatement measures.
Later that year the council decided to spend an additional €5 million of public money on the odour elimination programme, but maintained that the consortium would still foot the bill for the capital costs of the necessary systems and machinery. The €5 million was associated with the annual cost of processing the city and county's waste, assistant city manager Matt Twomey said.
Now, however, it appears the council has made an additional payment of €35.6 million to cover ABA's costs, despite having given assurances that the public purse would not bear the brunt of the defects in the plant.
The council would not say last night why it has handed over the money, but in a statement said it was its priority to resolve issues relating to odours from the works.
"The necessary works are on time and within budget and will be completed in the autumn as previously announced," it said.
"The city council will co-operate with the independent investigation which the Minister has announced," the statement concluded.
Mr Gormley has sanctioned the council's payment to ABA, but said he wanted an inquiry to resolve the questions surrounding the design and capacity of the plant and the efforts to deal with the odour issue.
"There were protracted delays at commissioning and testing of the new plant in 2002 when it experienced difficulties in achieving the required performance standards. In addition, odour problems were experienced within a short time of the plant coming into operation."
Damien Cassidy of the Ringsend Environment Group said he was aghast that "a bonus" had been paid."€36 million at a time of economic depression.
"For what? For creating a smell that people down here had to put up with since July 2003? It's pungent."
OLIVIA KELLY and ADAM HARVEY
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
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