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14 March 2016

RE: 7945 – PROPOSED SEWERAGE SCHEME AT OMEATH, CO.

Dear Sir/Madam,

Irish Water is seeking planning permission for the proposed sewerage scheme at Omeath, Co. Louth. Currently there is no wastewater treatment facility in Omeath with all wastewater generated in the town being discharged untreated via an outfall to . The proposed waste water treatment works and proposed pump station are located outside of the SAC. The existing outfall pipe is located below the sediment to the south of the pier in Omeath. The receiving waters have both and UK designated sites including Carlingford Lough Special Protection Area.

Preliminary details of the construction of the proposed development are provided hereunder.  Wastewater treatment plant with a Phase 1 design capacity of 1000 PE, which would be construction in a modular fashion to allow expansion to the long term project capacity of 2000PE. The WWTW will be comprise of an inlet works, screening, aeration and settlement tanks, odour control and ancillary mechanical plant. The tanks are likely to be prefabricated above ground tanks constructed on concrete foundations. The WWTW site will have a control building, access road, security fencing, landscaping and ancillary services such as power, telecoms and water.  Central pumping station located on Shore Road, to deliver wastewater to the proposed WwTW. The central pumping station would contain storage to prevent overflows to frequencies recommended for

designated Bathing Areas. The pumping station will be an insitu constructed structure consisting of reinforced concrete, block work and other standard construction materials. The pumping station site will have an access road, security fencing, landscaping and ancillary services such as power, telecoms and water.  Construction of 700m of rising main from the pumping station to the wastewater treatment plant. The rising main is expected to be a relatively small diameter pipe (in the region of 150mm diameter) and will be constructed in an open trench in the existing road carriageway.

Directors: L.E. Waldron (Chairman) R.F. Tobin (Managing Director) B.J. Downes M.F. Garrick J.P. Kelly D. Grehan E. Connaughton (Company Secretary) M. McDonnell C. McGovern B. Mulligan

Associate Directors: T. Cannon P. Cloonan D. Conneran B. Gallagher B. Heaney E. McPartlin S. Tinnelly

Co. Reg. No. 42654 – Registered Office: Fairgreen House, Fairgreen Road, Galway. Ireland.

 Construction of approximately 1750m of foul sewers connecting to the pumping station and to the existing outfall. The foul sewers will be gravity pipelines of 225, 300, 375 and400mm diameter and will be constructed in an open trench in the existing road carriageway.  Rehabilitation of the existing outfall and extension beyond the low water mark (approximately 50m maximum). It is envisaged that the rehabilitation would be carried out by no dig techniques, such as cured in place liners, to minimise the impact of this work. It is envisaged that the extension of the outfall will require the excavation of a trench, placement of the extended outfall pipe and diffusers and backfilling of the trench. It is likely the trench would need support during the construction process due to the tidal nature of the area, and this may consist of sheet piles or trench boxes, depending on the ground conditions encountered.

For your information, please find below drawings showing the details of the proposed development and location.

We invite the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht to provide comment on the proposed development. We would be obliged if you could acknowledge receipt of this letter and that you would forward to us a written reply at your earliest convenience. If you require any further information, please do not hesitate to contact me at [email protected] or [email protected].

Yours Sincerely

______Joanne Allen‐Hamilton Senior Ecologist TOBIN Consulting Engineers