AFTER YEARS OF untreated waste water being pumped into the Avoca River, Arklow is getting a new waste water treatment plant.

A six-year study by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 2019 put the Avoca River on the list of nine of the most polluted rivers in Ireland due to the decades of raw sewage from Arklow entering the river.

In 2019, the Court of Justice of the European Union made a judgment against the State for failing to meet the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive.

Making the announcement today, Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien said construction of the new waste water treatment plant is due to begin in the first quarter of next year and will be completed by September 2025.

The project has an estimated overall cost of €139.3 million.

“The construction of this waste water treatment plant is pivotal for the future growth and development of Arklow town, and for the successful delivery of housing.

“It is also a hugely important step to rectifying the unacceptable situation whereby untreated waste water is released directly to the Avoca River,” he said.

“The people of Arklow have been waiting for decades for this project which will be designed and constructed to cater for a growing population, will facilitate economic development and importantly, safeguard the environment,” he concluded.

The new wastewater treatment plant will include a 930 metre long sea outfall for treated effluent, upgraded rock armour on the shoreline, as well as a 120 metre tunnel under the Avoca River.