Commencement of €22m upgrade of water treatment plant at Whitegate, Co. Cork

Information below is relevant until further updates are provided here or on our Supply and Service Updates section.

Uisce Éireann is delighted to announce the commencement of an upgrade at Whitegate Water Treatment Plant (WTP). The upgrade will ensure a safe, secure, and reliable supply of drinking water to approximately 10,300 people served by the Whitegate Regional Water Supply. 

This significant investment, which is being carried out in partnership with Cork County Council, will address risks to water quality by providing enhanced treatment facilities at a brand-new water treatment plant which will provide 6 million litres of water per day. The new plant will be located on a site adjacent to the existing Kilva plant which will be decommissioned. 

Commenting on the benefits of the project, Programme Manager for Uisce Éireann, Hugh Kennedy said: “We’re delighted to be progressing with this important project. The issues with water quality are well known to the people of Whitegate and surrounding areas who have had to endure persistent boil water notices. This new and improved infrastructure will address these issues and enable the community to enjoy a reliable and safe water supply into the future.”

He continued: “Uisce Éireann would like to remind customers that the Boil Water Notice remains in place. We recognise the significant inconvenience this causes to impacted customers and would like to thank everyone for their patience and ongoing support while we advance this critical project for the benefit of the community.”

Facilities at the new water treatment plant will include the construction of a 450,000-litre raw water balancing tank; a clear water tank; a new coagulation, flocculation, and clarification system; a new filtration system; and Ultraviolet (UV) Disinfection. Once complete, the project will ensure Whitegate’s water supply remains compliant with National and EU drinking water regulations.

The works are being carried out by Glanua on behalf of Uisce Éireann and are due for completion in 2026. We will endeavour to keep stakeholders updated as the project progresses. 

Uisce Éireann is responsible for delivering public drinking water and wastewater services for the people of Ireland. We are committed to enabling communities to thrive by continuously upgrading and developing critical infrastructure to support sustainable growth and development, providing safe drinking water, and enhancing the environment.

For further information, please visit our dedicated project webpage.