Farrans Glanua JV completes Kilrea Wastewater Treatment Works

NI Water has announced the completion of a £9.4 million upgrade at Kilrea Wastewater Treatment Works (WwTW) Co. Derry/Londonderry to enhance wastewater services, support future growth in the area and provide greater protection for the River Bann. The project was delivered by Farrans Glanua JV.

The original plant was constructed in the 1970s and required upgrading to accommodate population growth in Kilrea and the surrounding area.

The upgrade saw the installation of a new, more advanced wastewater treatment process on the site, incorporating first-time stormwater storage tanks, two new final settlement tanks and a sludge tank. Parts of the old WwTW, including pumping stations, were repurposed into the new system, with the existing treatment process maintained throughout the upgrade. The improvements will help the site manage future wastewater flows more efficiently and effectively while maintaining compliance with stringent Northern Ireland Environment Agency standards.

The project will increase the treatment capacity of the existing works by almost 50 percent to cater for local development and help ensure it can meet current and future environmental standards.

NI Water’s Senior Project Manager Martin Armstrong said:

“This major investment demonstrates NI Water’s commitment to future proofing the wastewater infrastructure throughout Northern Ireland, bringing environmental benefits while allowing local communities to thrive by supporting local development and improving the local river water quality. This investment will also improve operational efficiency at the plant and provides a more modern treatment process, which will help reduce energy consumption.

“We are proud of the social value impact of the project, with our framework contractor, Farrans Glanua JV engaging many local sub-contractors to supply key materials and services throughout construction, as well as engaging three students, graduates and higher-level apprentices, who gained valuable hands-on experience during the scheme, helping to inspire the engineers of the future!”

Technical support for this major upgrade was provided by Belfast-based Tetra Tech.

The scheme aligns with NI Water’s wider programme of investment in wastewater infrastructure across Northern Ireland, delivering environmental benefits while supporting future economic and community development.