Athlone Main Drainage

The Athlone Main Drainage Scheme provides for the upgrade of the existing wastewater treatment plant, pumping stations, storm water storage, rising mains and gravity sewers including tunnels under the town centre and crossings of the River Shannon. The existing population equivalent of Athlone town is approximately 30,000.  The additional population equivalent from future development areas and from the surrounding areas of Ballykeeran / Glasson / Coosan is some 70,000 bringing the ultimate projected population equivalent for the Athlone study area to approx. 100,000.

The progression of the Athlone Main Drainage Scheme involves the following contracts:

Contract No. 1 – Interim Wastewater Treatment Upgrade

Construction of a design build and operate (DBO) Contract for the interim expansion of the WWTP from 30,000p.e. to 40,000p.e. commenced in October 2016.  A second contract is ultimately proposed to further upgrade the treatment plant to 60,000p.e.

Contract No. 2 – Abbey Road Tunnel, Golden Island Pumping Station, Coosan Tunnel, Canal Tunnel, West side Tunnel and Sewer Rehabilitation

This contract requires the design and construction of the Abbey Road Tunnel, Shannon Tunnel crossings, Payne’s Lane cross connection, Golden Island Pumping Station with storm water storage, upgrade of and decommissioning of Golden Island Pumping Station, Abbey Road Pumping Station and West Bank Pumping Station.  The overall contract includes the following main elements:

Main Pumping Station:

  • 330 l/s Foul Pumping
  • 4,600 l/s Storm Pumping
  • 5,000m3 storm storage tank
  • 730m of 600mm dia rising main

Tunnels and Pipelines: 

  • 1.4km of 1,200 dia tunnel sewers up to 11m deep.
  • 2 No Crossings under the River Shannon
  • Upgrading live gravity sewers with flows up to 330l/s

Sewer Rehabilitation: 

  • Rehabilitation of 20km of existing sewers

Services Provided by Jennings O’Donovan

Jennings O’Donovan provided Consulting Engineering services as the lead on a JV on this project.  The main consultancy services and technical assistance provided by Jennings O’Donovan included:

  • Organising sewer network studies including manhole, CCTV surveys of existing sewers, flow and load surveys, infiltration, sewer rehabilitation, Hydraulic Modelling and GIS.
  • Risk Assessment of overall project including workshop with Council Staff and allocation of specific risks through the contract documents.
  • Preparation of Pre-Qualification documents and evaluation of submissions from Contractors.
  • Preparation of Contract/Tender Documents.
  • Tender evaluation and recommendation on the most economically advantageous tender for the Interim Wastewater Treatment Upgrade.
  • Undertaking the role of PSDP.
  • Site inspections, contract administration, checking and financial management.
  • Provision of site supervisory staff.