North Docklands Sewerage Scheme – further construction work to begin

Officials from Irish Water have advised me that it is working in partnership with Dublin City Council to deliver the North Docklands Sewerage Scheme.

This project represents an investment of approximately €10 million by Irish Water as part of the upgrade, replacement and rehabilitation of the wastewater network serving the North Docklands area. The project will increase the capacity of the wastewater network, will help to protect and improve the water quality of the River Liffey and will facilitate population and economic growth within the North Docklands area of Dublin City. Ward and Burke Construction are working on behalf of Irish Water to deliver this project.

The existing wastewater collection network serving this area consists mainly of single combined pipelines i.e. one pipeline system to collect both wastewater and rainwater. Many of these pipelines are over 100 years old. This area has also been affected in the past by repeated flooding incidents due to the historic layout of the existing collection network. Irish Water is supporting this through the development of this critical project.
The North Docklands Sewerage Scheme will:
• Increase the capacity of the wastewater collection network to cater for existing residential and commercial developments.
• Reduce the incidences of flooding in the area;
• Improve the water quality of the River Liffey by reducing the frequency and volume of untreated wastewater overflows from the wastewater collection network to the river; and
• Enable the long term social and economic development of the North Docklands.

To date, Irish Water and Dublin City Council have already successfully completed a number of smaller projects as part of the North Docklands Sewerage Scheme including:
• The construction of the new Spencer Dock Pumping Station to replace the aging East Road Pumping Station. The new pumping station is capable of serving a population of 115,000 and has storage tanks capable of storing 2,000m3 of storm water during heavy rainfall.
• The construction of 3,500m of wastewater pipelines to transfer sewage flows from the new Spencer Dock Pumping Station to the wastewater treatment plant.
• The construction of 375m of wastewater pipelines using tunnelling methods at Church Road, East Road and Sheriff Street Upper to increase the capacity of the wastewater network and to divert flows from the East Road Pumping Station to the new Spencer Dock Pumping Station.

The next phase of the North Docklands Sewerage Scheme will see the construction of 570m of new wastewater network along Sheriff Street Upper between the junctions of East Wall Road and New Wapping Street along with the construction of 330m of new wastewater network along Castleforbes Road between the junctions of North Wall Quay and Sheriff Street Upper. In order to minimise disruption, these new sections of wastewater network will be constructed using tunnelling methods in Sherriff Street and Castleforbes Street.

This phase of the North Docklands Sewerage Scheme involves the construction of 900m of new pipelines along Sheriff Street Upper and Castleforbes Road with works consisting of:
• The construction of a tunnel shaft on Sheriff Street Upper immediately east of the junction with New Wapping Street;
• The construction of a tunnel shaft on Sheriff Street Upper immediately west of the junction with Castleforbes Road;
• The construction of a single tunnel shaft within lands at Dublin Port;
• The construction of four tunnel shafts along Castleforbes Road, one immediately south of the junction of Sheriff Street Upper, one north and south of the junction of Mayor Street Upper and one immediately north of the junction with North Wall Quay;
• The diversion of existing utilities and services at each of the tunnel shafts to ensure there is no disruption to other services in the area;
• The construction of 570m of new wastewater pipeline between the tunnel shafts on Sheriff Street Upper;
• The construction of 330m of wastewater pipeline between the tunnel shafts on Castleforbes Road;
• The connection of the existing wastewater collection network to the new pipeline at Sheriff Street Upper immediately west of the junction with East Wall Road; and
• The decommissioning of a 50-year old pumping station on Castleforbes Road.

Ward & Burke Construction have applied for and have been granted a licence to close Sheriff Street Upper between Castleforbes Road and New Wapping Street. The road closure period granted by Dublin City Council extends from 8:00am on Tuesday 7 March to 12:00pm on Sunday 30 April, 2017.

It is my understanding that for the duration of the works;
• Traffic will be diverted along the North Wall Quay from the East Wall Road junctions at East Road and Sheriff Street Upper.
• Traffic will then be diverted along Guild Street.
• Traffic will also be diverted along Guild Street at the junction of Sheriff Street Upper and along North wall Quay and to the East Wall Road. For further information about this project please see the attached project information sheet.

If you have any questions or queries arising from the details above, please get in touch with me at raymcadam@gmail.com.