EPA WWDA Licenced Facility D0002-01 January 2011

The Stage II upgrading of the Osberstown WWTP began construction in 1999 and was completed in 2001. The plant was designed and built by a joint venture of EarthTech Ltd. and SIAC Construction Ltd. (SETJV). The work was the first "design and build" operation conducted by a local authority in Ireland. The design was to upgrade the existing 40,000 p.e. plant to an 80,000 p.e. plant to reach certain BOD, COD and SS targets, incorporating nutrient reduction on the liquid stream. In addition, the sludge produced was to be treated by anaerobic digestion followed by dewatering. The final cost was circa €21m (IR£16.5 m). Operating costs run at ca. €1.8m per year. The largest operating costs are electricity consumption and sludge disposal.

©Studio Lab 2001

Part of the existing works, built in 1981, was incorporated into the new design, with the retention of the primary settlement tanks as part of the liquid treatment and the use of the final clarifiers as storm tanks. In essence, a new inlet works/screening/degritting area, SBR aeration tanks (CASS® Tanks) , digestion facilities and sludge dewatering facilities were constructed. Also, an administration building incorporating a training room, offices and laboratories were provided for in the contract.

©Studio Lab 2001

Advance works for the new Sludge Handling Facility began in late 2003. The advance works contract involved the construction of new access roads, services, re-routing of the Newbridge rising main, construction of a new workshop and the demolition of the old workshop/press building. The Sludge Handling Facility (SHF) was procured by the Design, Build and Operate (DBO) route and construction of the facility began in October 2005. The facility is being constructed and operated by the Veolia-Ascon Consortium.

The design of any treatment works, whether water or wastewater, is dependent on what it is expected to produce or receive. A wastewater treatment works design relies on population statistics to calculate the domestic loading, which is primarily obtained from the census figures. Industrial and commercial loadings are obtained from licensing information, planning applications and site counts. A national census was conducted in 2006 and preliminary figures are available from the Central Statistics Office (www.cso.ie). Kildare county's population has increased dramatically since 1996 and saw the third largest growth in population in 2006. Consequently, an application to the DoEHLG has been submitted by Kildare County Council for a Stage III upgrade.

View Osberstown WWTP in a larger map 

Errors & Omissions Excepted

since 31/1/02