The contract for Tullamore wastewater treatment plant and sludge treatment centre was awarded to an EPS/SIAC consortium in May 2010 under the design, build and operate (20 years) form of contract. The project was successfully delivered and was officially opened by the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Mr Phil Hogan TD, on 7th June 2012.
Tullamore is designated as a gateway town under the National Spatial Strategy and the Regional Planning Guidelines 2010-2022 for the midlands region. The new wastewater treatment plant has a capacity of 45,000 population equivalent (PE) and the sludge treatment centre has a capacity of 80,000 PE. This development will facilitate the sustainable residential, commercial and industrial development of Tullamore and the surrounding area.
The sewage that enters the treatment plant is converted into clean water to European standards: energy in the form of electricity and hot water and fertiliser pellets for use on land such that the rate of recycling of the incoming sewage is in excess of 99.9%.
The Minister meeting the EPS team at the opening ceremony
From left to right: Peter Carolan, Brian Collier, Paul Phelan, Tadgh Buckley, Phil Hogan TD, Michael O'Sullivan and Denis Buckley