Dublin City Council in its official brief to the members of the South East Area Committee of the council on the 23rd September 2005, stated that solving the intermittent odour problems at the wastewater treatment works on the Poolbeg Peninsula is the Council’s top priority.

DCC officials are confident that the solutions to the complex, technical problems can be implemented. A Programme of Work, proposed by ABA, the international consortium that designed, built and will operate the plant for the next twenty years, has been agreed and has already begun. The work will continue through the Winter and into 2006, until it is completed.

Assistant City Manager Mr Matt Twomey told the Local City Councillors: “We have identified and agreed the key areas that are contributing to the intermittent foul odours that come from the plant.” He said “We have already carried out any remedial measures that could be carried out immediately and we are making progress,”

He told the committee that among the actions being taken are increasing the odour collection capacity at the inlet works and re-balancing the airflow in that area. A re-fit of the sludge treatment plant, which has been the major source of many of the odours, will be undertaken as well as covering the primary settlement tanks and adding new odour control systems.

Other remedial works include the installation of additional equipment to burn off gases from the sludge drying system. The sludge is dried and formed into pellets, which are used as fertiliser.
The Councillors were told the water in Dublin Bay is cleaner than it has been for over 200 years and Dollymount Strand was awarded a Blue Flag in 2004.

The plant treats wastewater from a population of 1.6 million people daily. The plant has reached its maximum capacity and will be unable to cater for the future growth of Dublin and the surrounding counties.

The city manager recently announced plans to build a new sewerage treatment plant in Portrane in North County Dublin, as well as extending and increasing the capacity of the Ringsend treatment works.

Plans for any extension to the Ringsend plant will no doubt be strongly resisted by local residents.

Right: Inside the Wastewater Treatment Plant.