Kilrea Waste Water Treatment Works shortlisted for NI Construction Award
Our Kilrea Waste Water Treatment Works Upgrade project for NI Water has been shortlisted for the Infrastructure of the Year – Utilities Award at the NI Construction Awards.
The well-known CEF Excellence Awards will return for their 27th year with a gala evening on Thursday 1st October 2026, with a new name – the NI Construction Awards and a new larger venue ICC Belfast – hosted by architect and television presenter George Clarke and presenter Claire McCollum.
In a first for Northern Ireland, the CEF is joining forces with the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) and the Mineral Products Association (MPA) to deliver a unified, cross-sector celebration of the built environment bringing together contractors, engineers and materials producers.
Constructed in the 1970s to serve a population of 3,000, Kilrea Wastewater Treatment Works was selected for reinvestment under PC21 due to capacity pressures. The project was designed to improve compliance with NIEA standards and futureproof it against stricter environmental consents. Secondary drivers included improving operational efficiency, reducing energy consumption, and eliminating health and safety risks associated with ageing infrastructure.
The Farrans Glanua JV solution involved the construction of an activated sludge process (ASP) treatment works with a design population equivalent of 4,400, compliant with NIEA discharge standards of 30:50 (BOD:SS). The upgraded facility provides 363m3 of storm capacity, between CSO, Blind and Online Storm Tanks, that previously would have gone straight to the River Bann without storm attenuation. Constructed beside the existing operational works, the project maintained continuous treatment throughout delivery, minimising disruption to service.
Key elements included a Formula A flume and package inlet works, two aeration lanes, dry installed RAS and SAS pumping stations, Delta Hybrid High Efficiency Air Blowers, storm storage tanks, two final settlement tanks, a sludge consolidation tank, and the repurposing of existing final effluent tanks. The site is operated through a new Motor Control Centre (MCC) kiosk. Through collaborative delivery and innovative problem-solving, the project team successfully overcame significant technical and operational challenges while maintaining a strong focus on quality, safety, and long-term resilience.