Irish Water is progressing a €5.1 million investment in a new wastewater pumping station at Rush Road in Skerries. On Monday, 4 July 2016, Irish Water confirmed the Compulsory Purchase Order to acquire the necessary land at Holmpatrick in Skerries, to facilitate the construction of the new pumping station and associated sewers. Once completed, the project will increase the capacity of the wastewater network in the area as well as reduce overflows to the sea during periods of heavy rain. Construction is expected to commence in March 2017 and take 18 months to complete.

The new Rush Road Pumping Station will have the capacity to service a population equivalent (P.E.) of over 14,000 people, which will support the future development in Skerries, Loughshinny and Kelly's Bay. The project involves the decommissioning and removal of the existing foul and storm water pumping stations and construction of the new Rush Road Pumping Station and gravity sewers.

Commenting on the announcement, Michael Tinsley, Asset Programmes Manager at Irish Water said "The construction of a new wastewater pumping station and gravity sewers at Rush Road will ensure the wastewater network in Skerries will have the capacity to serve the community. Irish Water has a separate project in place to replace the old Wastewater Treatment Plant in Loughshinny and pump the flows into Skerries. The contract for the Loughshinny project will go to tender late in 2016 and delivery is linked to this Rush Road Pumping Station project. It is planned that the Loughshinny Waste Water Plant will be completed by 2019."

Irish Water is also investing a further €9.7M to upgrade the wastewater infrastructure in Rush. These works have been a priority for Irish Water since it took over responsibility for water services in 2014 and will permanently stop the discharge of all untreated sewage in the Rush area that has been ongoing for decades. This project is expected to be completed by 2018.

Irish Water invested €340 million in improving water and wastewater services in 2014 and over €410 million in improving services during 2015. Irish Water plans to spend €522 million to address the major deficits in Ireland's drinking water and wastewater quality and capacity and repairing the most critical infrastructure in need of urgent investment in 2016