Lifford is the county town of Donegal and is located in the east of the county along the border with Northern Ireland. The town is in the Finn Valley where the Mourne River and River Finn meet to form the River Foyle.
In 2016 the town was recorded as having a population of 1,626. Wastewater from the Lifford agglomeration, which includes the town itself plus developments along the N15 and N14, is treated at Lifford Wastewater Treatment Plant (WwTP). The WwTP is located on the banks of the River Foyle, and the town of Strabane is directly across the river. This stretch of the river is designated as a Special Area of Conservation.
Constructed in 1967, Lifford WwTP treats wastewater from Lifford and its surrounding areas. The existing plant was designed to treat wastewater for a Population Equivalent (PE) of 1,550. It currently has provision for primary treatment only with the wastewater screened initially through an inlet screen. Following settlement, the treated wastewater (effluent) is discharged to the River Foyle.
The wastewater collection and treatment infrastructure in Killea currently suffers from a number of deficiencies, as follows
As part of the SWELL project a new wastewater treatment plant will be constructed on a site adjacent to the existing plant and improvements made to the wastewater network. Overall the investment at Lifford will include:
» Construction of a new 2,500 PE wastewater treatment plant, providing secondary treatment. The upgrade works will consist of a new inlet works, storm water holding tank, secondary biological treatment process and final settlement tanks as well as a new control building and new sludge thickening facility.
» Upsizing of pumping main and gravity sewer to facilitate the transfer of additional volumes of wastewater from Sally Gardens Pumping Station to the new Lifford WwTP.
» Other storm water management solutions on the network water management solutions on the network comprising pump upgrades and network upgrades.
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.