Irish Water have been given planning permission to build a new wastewater treatment plant in Spiddal.
The new plant will be built adjacent to the existing Craft Village treatment plant.
As part of the process the plant that’s already in operation will be decommissioned.
The project will involve building multiple settlement tanks, a sludge storage tank, and other site works such as interconnecting pipes.
Building the new plant in Spiddal is intended to end the discharge of untreated waste into Galway bay, something the EU has cited Galway for in the past.
It’s estimated that 600 wheelie bins worth of raw sewerage is pumped into Galway Bay every day.
Irish Water first lodged plans for the new wastewater treatment plant with Galway County Council in June of this year.
With the plans approved, work could begin on the plant next year, and it’s expected to be completed by 2021.
When operational, the plant will treat the equivalent waste of 1,000 people every day.
Multiple submissions from local individuals and groups were made to the county council about the proposed plant.
While they were in favour of the plant’s construction, there are serious concerns in the area about the site’s proximity to people’s homes and Scoil Éinne.
In response to a request for further information from the council, Irish Water said multiple sites were considered in the planning process and the one in the application was the most appropriate.
Galway county council gave the permission for the project to go ahead with nine conditions attached.
