Minister for Housing Planning and Local Government, Eoghan Murphy TD officially turned the sod on the €17m Gorey Regional Water Supply Project at Ballyminaun Hill in Gorey today.

Speaking at the event, Minister Murphy welcomed the project saying; “This is a significant project for Gorey and emphasises Irish Water’s commitment to providing safe, clean drinking water to the public. This is also a hugely positive day in terms of creating the right infrastructure for future development in housing and the various services that are dependent on social and economic growth”

Irish Water’s Head of Asset Operations, Michael O’Leary added; “A few years ago, the Gorey and Courtown wastewater treatment plant was upgraded to the tune of €7.2m. This investment was used to upgrade and extend the existing Courtown Wastewater Treatment Plant which serves Gorey and ensures treated effluent standards are met and maintained to a high quality of water in Courtown’s coastal areas.

“Now we set our sights on upgrading the water supply scheme in the area which will ensure that Gorey and the surrounding areas can develop into the future.

“This project provides for a new water treatment plant and reservoir at Ballyminaun Hill, upgrade works to an existing reservoir at Ballyminaun Hill and associated interconnecting infrastructure. The works will be carried out by Glan Agua Limited on behalf of Irish Water and will take approximately 18 months to complete. Once complete, it will safeguard the drinking water supply to a population in excess of 16,000.”

Wexford County Council Chief Executive Tom Enright echoed those words saying; “Gorey is already a great place to live, work and to holiday in. This upgrade will ensure the town has the security in terms of water supply that a modern Irish town needs in order to grow and prosper. The Council recently acquired the 70 acres St. Waleran’s site and the upgrade in water supply will facilitate the development of this site for affordable social and private housing and communality facilities to meet residential demand into the future. Gorey and the surrounding areas welcome thousands of tourists each year and this upgrade demonstrates that the town will have the capacity to develop in the coming years.”

The project provides for a new water treatment plant and reservoir at Ballyminaun Hill, upgrade works to an existing reservoir at Ballyminaun Hill and associated inter-connecting infrastructure.

The existing scheme is operating at maximum capacity and the planned project will increase capacity to the area in order to facilitate growth and development. This project will benefit businesses and residents of Gorey and the surrounding area through the improvement and security of water supply.

The works will be carried out by Glan Agua Limited on behalf of Irish Water and will take approximately 18 months to complete.