Omeath is located on the northern side of the Cooley peninsula on Carlingford Lough. As of the 2016 Census, Omeath had a population of just over 600 people. Omeath is an established centre for tourism with a significant change in population in high seasons as a result.
The shoreline along Carlingford Lough at Omeath is designated as a Special Area of Conservation. Carlingford Lough is a designated shellfish water, as well as a National Heritage Area and Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
The existing wastewater collection system in Omeath was first constructed in the 1960s. Since then the network has been extended to serve newer housing developments. The overall length of the sewer network is now approximately 7.8 km. The original scheme was just 2.8km long.
The entire collection system flows by gravity and there are no pumping stations on the network. Wastewater is currently discharged untreated to Carlingford Lough. Irish Water has submitted a planning application for the construction of a new Wastewater Treatment Plant (WwTP) in Omeath to end the discharge of over 800 wheelie bins of untreated wastewater to Carlingford Lough per day. This new WwTP will ensure improved water quality in the receiving waters in compliance with national and EU regulations relating to the treatment of wastewater.
Wastewater is currently discharged untreated to Carlingford Lough from Omeath. A new wastewater treatment plant is currently being developed by Irish Water, separateto the SWELL project, in order to treat this wastewater.
The SWELL project focuses on the need to upgrade the sewer network at Omeath to improve how we transport the wastewater to the plant so it can be treated.
Untreated wastewater is also currently being discharged to Carlingford Lough from storm water overflows at Omeath. The SWELL project will improve this situation by reducing the amount that will be discharged from these storm water overflows in the future.
In Omeath, we will upgrade the capacity of the network so we can transfer more wastewater to the plant to be treated and reduce the amount going to storm overflows. We will do this by separating out the surface water and wastewater as well as redirecting storm flows.
We will also target key issues on the network. This will protect the environment through reducing the storm water overflows and includes:
AT STATION ROAD
At Station Road we will connect the local surface water sewer to the main surface water sewer along Station Road. This will require a short length (20metres) of new pipe.
ON MAIN STREET
On Main Street we will lay 265metres of new surface water sewer and connect this to the existing surface water pipeline that serves Village Green Housing Estate and the Cloughmore Cottages.
AT THE CHAPEL HILL/ MAIN STREET JUNCTION
At the Chapel Hill/ Main Street Junction we will lay 365 metres of new surface water sewer on Chapel Hill, Main Street and Shore Road and connect to the existing surface water network.
SEWER RELINING AND REPAIRS
Sewer relining and repairs will also take place on the network including structural repairs at key points.
REHABILITATION OF 60 MANHOLES
Rehabilitation of 60 manholes, including replacing covers and making structural repairs.
We are currently at the design phase of the project. It is expected that construction will start towards the end of 2020 with works complete by the end of 2021.
We expect that the wastewater treatment plant will also be complete by 2021 subject to planning.
