Project outline

This design, build and operate (DBO) project saw Murphy deliver a major upgrade to the water infrastructure serving Louth and East Meath to ensure the long term quality and reliability of the supply.

Staleen Water Treatment Plant provides drinking water to over 70,000 residents as well as commercial customers in the Drogheda, South Louth and East Meath catchment area. Murphy delivered a major upgrade of the plant with production increased to 31.5MLD as well as refurbishment works and improvements to the raw water supply at Roughgrange and the treated water reservoir at Donore.

Cavanhill Water Treatment Plant provides drinking water to the town of Dundalk and its environs, providing 35,000 residents and commercial customers with a safe and reliable drinking water supply. Murphy delivered a major upgrade of the plant with production increased to 36.4MLD and reliability greatly improved which will allow this plant to be removed from the EPA’s Remedial Action List.

Key challenges

Delivering improvements in the capacity, reliability and quality of the water supply were key objectives on this project. This challenge applied at all stages of project delivery with Murphy assuming full responsibility for the operation and maintenance of each of the plants upon commencement of the project.

The raw water supply system from the River Boyne to the plant in Staleen (not originally within the scope of works for this project) experienced a major failure during the project delivery phase. At our client’s request Murphy mobilised an emergency response to address this issue with the installation of 2.5km of new 600mm diameter ductile iron pipework quickly delivered and major upgrades undertaken to the pumping station at Roughgrange.

Project delivery and innovations

Murphy designed and delivered a comprehensive turnkey solution for each site. The following scope of works on this project.

Staleen Water Treatment Works

• Upgrade and expansion of the coagulation, flocculation and clarification system.
• Upgrade and expansion of the rapid gravity filtration system.
• Upgraded chemical disinfection process and installation of UV disinfection unit.
• Installation of pH correction facility.
• New washwater and sludge handling facilities.
• Full refurbishment of Roughgrange Pumping Station with new pumps to provide a daily raw water feed flow to the plant of 33,000m³.
• New rising main from Roughgrange to the treatment works.
• Refurbishment of Donore Reservoir.
• MV and LV electrical infrastructure.
• New ICA system comprising PLCs, communication links and SCADA system.

Cavanhill Water Treatment Works

• Refurbishment of Stephenstown Pumping Station to deliver a daily flow of 27,300m³.
• Upgrade and expansion of the coagulation, flocculation and clarification system.
• Upgrade and expansion of the rapid gravity filtration system.
• Upgraded chemical disinfection process and installation of UV disinfection unit.
• Installation of pH correction facility.
• New washwater and sludge handling facilities.

Key facts

• Major improvements to capacity, reliability and quality and water supply to the Louth and East Meath area.
• Works at Staleen and Roughgrange safely delivered within the Boyne Valley archaeological complex, a UNESCO designated World Heritage Site.
• Murphy will continue to operate and maintain the upgraded infrastructure until the end of 2021.