Upgrading sewage works for rapid population growth
8 Jan 2020
Rapid population expansion doesn’t just put pressure on a town’s schools and housing stock. There are also sanitation systems to consider too...
Swords is the county town of Fingal – one of three counties created in 1994 from the old Dublin County Council region. Lying north of the Irish capital city, its population of more than 40,000 now ranks as the country’s seventh largest urban area and the most densely populated.
Rapid growth in the last two decades has had a downside – in 2003 it was voted the worst litter blackspot in the country in a business survey. But concerted efforts saw it attain runner up spot as the country’s cleanest city for the same survey eight years later.
Population increase has also tested Swords’ resources, not least its waste water system. This led the country’s utility company Irish Water to embark in 2017 on an upgrade to Swords Wastewater Treatment Plant
The €22.2 million upgrade is intended to increase the site’s capacity to a 90,000 population equivalent (PE) as well as ensuring protection to the nearby Broadmeadow Estuary from wastewater pollution.
The €22.2 million upgrade is intended to increase the site’s capacity to a 90,000 population equivalent
This included an upgrade to the outfall pipe at Broadmeadow Estuary required to support the increased treatment capacity and provide a cleaner environment and a multimillion euros replacement for Swords water main.
Two of the pumps within the WTW were ageing and unlikely to cope with the increased capacity. Irish Water turned to Hidrostal for advice.
It recommended the use of two of its submersible screw centrifugal non-clog pumps be installed in the inlet and storm chambers.
In addition to their non clog pumping capabilities the pumps are also renowned for their high efficiencies, steep and stable hydraulic curve, non-overloading power curve and low NPSH, says the company.
While pumps customers are increasingly adapting to the mindset that new equipment must be viewed in terms of total lifecycle and overall return on investment, price remains an issue for all organisations.
No surprise then that hiring has become an important part of the pumps market, allowing customers to use the best equipment without committing for longer than they need or to permit an opportunity to assess performance before purchase.
Hidrostal had also supplied a hire pump to Irish Water for use at Swords WwTW which, having the same hydraulic end dimensions, fitted neatly into the existing installation.
Having had the chance to view the product at work on a long term hire on site, Irish Water made the decision to keep it for permament use.
