The Athlone Main Drainage Scheme in Ireland is now entering its final phase, with all tunnelling works complete.
Reinstatement work is under way across the town, including the full restoration of surfaces along The Quays. This marks a significant milestone in the delivery of the scheme, bringing visible relief to the town.
At Golden Island, construction of the pumping station shaft is finished, and mechanical and electrical systems are being installed on schedule. The control building is substantially complete, with only final internal fit‑out remaining. Meanwhile, the Coosan West pumping station is now operational, enhancing wastewater capacity for the area.
The scheme remains on course for completion this year, with new flows scheduled to be diverted into the new sewer network by October. Cross‑connection work continues at multiple locations across Athlone as teams transition the town onto the new system.
To support safe demobilisation and minimise disruption, The Strand car park will reopen in October, ahead of the final phases of work. Public realm improvements at Custume Place, part of the Church Street Improvement program, are also due to begin in October to revitalise the town centre.
Uisce Éireann portfolio manager Eunan Canavan thanked the community for its patience as the scheme reaches its final stage. He emphasised that the Athlone Main Drainage Scheme will significantly increase capacity and resilience across the wastewater network, reducing the risk of sewer flooding, improving water quality in the River Shannon, and supporting a cleaner, healthier local environment.
With an investment of €114 million, the scheme includes nearly 3km of new large diameter sewers installed using trenchless methods, two new pumping stations at Golden Island and Coosan West, and the decommissioning of underperforming existing infrastructure. Six combined sewer overflow points along the River Shannon have been eliminated and replaced with two modern stormwater overflows built to current licencing standards.
Tunnel crossings beneath the River Shannon were delivered using trenchless micro‑tunnelling techniques, crucial in avoiding open‑cut excavation through the town and reducing traffic disruption. Over 80 per cent of construction is now complete, and the project is moving into its final stage, focusing on commissioning, final reinstatement works and public realm enhancements to meet the October network switchover date.
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