Winter 2020 Case Study – Study Area 5 Technical Report IW/FF/LDB/0115 Data Disclaimer: This document uses best available data at time of writing. Some sources may have been updated in the interim period. As data relating to population forecasts and trends are based on information gathered before the Covid 19 Pandemic, monitoring and feedback will be used to capture any updates. The National Water Resources Plan will also align to relevant updates in the National Planning Framework. i | Irish Water | Case Study – Study Area 5 Technical Report Table of Contents SA5.1 Introduction – Study Area 5 ................................................................................................... 2 SA5.1.1 Summary of Our Options Assessment Methodology ............................................................................. 2 SA5.1.2 Introduction to the Study Area...............................................................................................................4 SA5.2 Scoping the Study Area ....................................................................................................... 10 SA5.2.1 Water Quality ..................................................................................................................................... 10 SA5.2.2 Water Quantity – Supply Demand Balance ......................................................................................... 13 SA5.2.3 Water Supply Reliability ................................................................................................................... 16 SA5.2.4 Water Supply Sustainability ................................................................................................................ 17 SA5.2.5 Water Resource Zone Needs Summary .......................................................................................... 19 SA5.3 Solution Types considered in Study Area 5 ....................................................................... 21 SA5.3.1 Leakage Reduction............................................................................................................................. 21 SA5.3.2 Water Conservation ......................................................................................................................... 21 SA5.3.3 Supply Smarter ................................................................................................................................. 21 SA5.4 Option Development SA5 ..................................................................................................... 24 SA5.4.1 Developing a List of Unconstrained Options ........................................................................................ 24 SA5.4.2 Coarse Screening ............................................................................................................................... 26 SA5.4.3 Fine Screening ................................................................................................................................... 27 SA5.4.4 Options Assessment Summary ........................................................................................................... 28 SA5.5 Approach Development ........................................................................................................ 31 SA5.5.1 Approach Development ................................................................................................................... 31 SA5.5.1.1 Introduction to Approach Development ....................................................................................... 31 SA5.5.2 Preferred Approach Development Process for SA5 ............................................................................. 35 SA5.5.3 Preferred Approach Development at Water Resource Zone Level ................................................ 37 SA5.5.4 Study Area Preferred Approach Summary ...................................................................................... 45 SA5.6 Preferred Plan Constraints – Interim Solutions .................................................................. 50 SA5.7 Preferred Approach – Sensitivity Analysis ......................................................................... 53 SA5.8 Summary SA5 ....................................................................................................................... 57 ii | Irish Water | Case Study – Study Area 5 Technical Report SA5.1 Introduction 1 | Irish Water | Case Study – Study Area 5 Technical Report SA5.1 Introduction – Study Area 5 This is a sample Case Study Technical Report provided with the draft Framework Plan. This demonstrates the process of applying the options assessment methodology, as set out in the draft Framework Plan, to Study Area 5. The format and presentation of information may change in response to comments on the draft Framework Plan and as part of developing the Regional Plans and supporting information for consultation. This Study Area includes 10 water resource zones located in the counties Westmeath, Roscommon, Offaly and Galway. This Case Study Technical Report includes: • The summary of Identified Need in this Study Area including Quality, Quantity, Reliability and Sustainability; • Options considered within the Study Area; • The range of approaches to resolve Identified Need; • Development of an Outline Preferred Approach for the Study Area; and • The adaptability of our Preferred Approach. SA5.1.1 Summary of Our Options Assessment Methodology In the draft Framework Plan, we described the Option Assessment Methodology that will be used to develop a national programme of proposed solutions for all of our water supplies. The solutions will be used to reduce or eliminate the Supply Demand Balance (SDB), Water Quality, Reliability and Sustainability risks. In the draft Regional Water Resources Plan - Eastern and Midlands (Regional Plan EM), we apply this methodology to Group Area 4 (GA4) – Eastern and Midlands Study Area 5 shown in Figure SA5.1.1.1. This Case Study Technical Report is for SA5, it summarises a subset of the GA4 Plan for Study Area 5 which consists of 10 individual water resource zones (WRZs). 2 | Irish Water | Case Study – Study Area 5 Technical Report Figure SA5.1.1.1 Study Area 5 within Group Area 4 Within this Study Area, the Preferred Approach had been developed following the process shown in Figure SA5.1.1.2. It should be noted that assessments and preferred approaches and solutions at this stage are at a plan level. Environmental impacts and costing of projects are further reviewed at project level. No statutory consent or funding consent is conferred by inclusion in the NWRP Framework, and any projects that are progressed following this plan will require individual environmental assessments in support of planning applications (where a project requires planning permission) or in support of licencing applications (for example, for new abstractions). 3 | Irish Water | Case Study – Study Area 5 Technical Report Figure SA5.1.1.2 Option Assessment Methodology Process SA5.1.2 Introduction to the Study Area Study Area 5 consists of 10 WRZs supplying a population of approximately 72,000 via approximately 1,100 kilometres of distribution network. The largest town within this Study Area is Athlone. The Study Area is summarised in Figure SA5.1.2.1. South Roscommon Regional Water Supply Scheme, Ballinasloe, Birr, Rahan and Clara/Ferbane are other areas of high demand within the Study Area. 4 | Irish Water | Case Study – Study Area 5 Technical Report Figure SA5.1.2.1 Study Area 5 The sources of water consist of 7 surface water sources and 13 groundwater abstractions. SA5 is entirely within the boundaries of the River Shannon catchment, with WRZs divided between the Upper and Lower Shannon catchment areas. The Lough Ree waterbody is located on the main Shannon channel, to the north of the Study Area. The large tributary rivers, namely River Suck, Brosna and Little Brosna, join the main Shannon further downstream. Athlone and Banagher WRZs abstract from the main Shannon channel, at Lough Ree and further downstream, respectively. In the west of the Study Area, Ballinasloe WRZ abstracts from River Suck and Bunowen River (tributary of Suck). In the south, the Birr/Kinnitty WRZ abstracts from the River Camcor (tributary of Little Brosna) and from the Glenfelly Stream (tributary of Camcor). Whilst in the east, Clara/Ferbane WRZ abstracts from the Gageborough River (tributary of Brosna). The majority of SA5’s surface water sources are within designated areas, including the River Shannon Callows SAC, Lough Ree SAC/SPA, River Suck Callows SPA, Middle Shannon Callows SPA, and River Little Brosna Callows SPA. All other WRZs are groundwater supplies. County Offaly forms part of the Central Lowland of Ireland, an area of low-lying rolling topography with higher ground at the Slieve Bloom Mountains. The higher topographic features have bedrock at or close to the surface. Most of the bedrock in County Offaly is masked by Quaternary sediments and subsoils which form the irregular topographic features in the lowlands such as esker sand, gravel ridges and raised bogs. The landscape of County Roscommon reflects the dominant underlying karstic Carboniferous limestone and shales, much of it exposed as 5 | Irish Water | Case Study – Study Area 5 Technical Report outcrop. This karst forms a key regionally important aquifer around the towns of Ballinasloe, Athlone and Tullamore. Overall, 13 groundwater supplies are managed by Irish Water in the region, abstracting between