Waterford Labour Deputy, Brian O’Shea, said this week that the Waterford Grouped Towns and Villages Sewerage Scheme (Seven Towns Project) had finally been approved for funding under the Department of Environment’s Water Services Investment Programme 2010 – 2012 at an estimated cost of over €50m.

The scheme provides for the construction of new or upgraded wastewater treatment and collection systems in Ballyduff/Kilmeaden, Dunmore East, Kilmacthomas, Stradbally, Tallow, Cappoquin and Ardmore. Waterford County Council is advancing the scheme on the basis of separate contracts for the collection systems and a single Design Build and Operate (DBO) contract for the wastewater treatment plants.

Waterford County Council has submitted contract documents to the Department for the Dunmore East sewerage scheme. Following the technical examination of these documents, his Department has written to the Council outlining a number of issues that the Council will need to address before approval can be given.

The sewerage collection systems for the towns of Tallow and Kilmacthomas are completed. Construction work has started on the Cappoquin collection system and on the interim sewerage treatment facilities at Ardmore pending the construction of the treatment plant there. Minister Gormley recently approved funding to allow Stradbally collection system to go to construction. The Council also expects to go to tender for the Ballyduff/Kilmeaden and the Ardmore sewerage collection systems shortly.

The Tramore-based Deputy was informed of the current situation by the Minister for Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Mr John Gormley, TD. Deputy O’Shea welcomed the progress made but said it was not happening quickly enough.