The Water Enhancements through Sustainable Treatment (WEST) project is a cross-border initiative between NI Water and Uisce Éireann which has been set up to address water pollution in Counties Fermanagh, Tyrone, Leitrim, Sligo, Cavan, Monaghan and Donegal through catchment modelling and sustainable wastewater treatment.
The project is supported by PEACEPLUS, a programme managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB).
Working collaboratively, NI Water and Uisce Éireann will strive to improve water quality in Lough Erne, Lough Melvin, and Donegal Bay — areas within the North-Western International River Basin District affected by contaminants from agriculture, forestry, urban runoff and wastewater discharges.
The €32m project will adopt innovative and sustainable treatment technologies at key sites in Ireland and Northern Ireland to enhance wastewater discharges and help improve water quality in these shared waterbodies.
The wastewater treatment sites that will be upgraded as part of the WEST project are located at Ballybay (Co. Monaghan), Belleek (Co. Fermanagh), Blacklion (Co. Cavan) and Garrison (Co. Fermanagh).
Running alongside the wastewater treatment plant upgrades, will be an extensive modelling programme which will incorporate the sampling of rivers and lakes within the Erne catchment area. This significant element of the project will capture important data relating to the many different pollution sources exerted on Lough Erne, Lough Melvin and Donegal Bay and will culminate in the production of a strategy to help inform and target future investment for further water quality improvements.
The project is set for completion in 2029.