Project Outline

Under this design, build and operate (DBO) contract Murphy are delivering a major upgrade Lee Road Water Treatment which accounts for 70% of the water supply in the city of Cork. The project entails:

• Replacement of the existing facility with a newly constructed and commissioned water treatment plant.
• Refurbishment and upgrade of existing pumping stations feeding the distribution network.
• An increase in water treatment capacity from 36MLD to 40MLD over an 18 hour period.

Key Challenges

Situated beside the River Lee the water treatment plant site has experienced flooding in the past. The design solution to be delivered by Murphy will deliver a state of the art treatment facility while raising the site by 2 metres to protect it against flooding during extreme weather events. This will ensure that reliability and performance are maintained under all conditions.

Project Delivery & Innovations

The upgraded facility designed and delivered by Murphy will include:

• Reconfigured raw water intake.
• Coagulation, flocculation and clarification system.
• Rapid gravity filters.
• Chemical and UV disinfection.
• Installation of pH correction facility.
• Washwater and sludge handling facilities.
• New treated water pumping station and refurbishment of existing pumping station.
• EICA infrastructure including PLCs, communication links and SCADA system.
• Flood prevention works.

Upon completion of commissioning and performance testing Murphy will operate and maintain this facility for one year.

Key Facts 

• Lee Road Water Treatment Plant has been in operation since 1879. This project is the first major upgrade in over 60 years.
• This project will remove the plant from the EPA’s Remedial Action List.
• The upgrade will support continued population growth and economic development in the city.