PRESS RELEASES

Water and Waste Water October Supplement

South Leinster DBO Contract

Introduction

Carlow County Council, in partnership with Kildare County Council, Kilkenny County Council, Laois County Council, South Tipperary County Council, Wexford County Council, Wicklow County Council and Ballacolla, Ballypickas, Ballinabranna, Ballyellen, Glynn St. Mullins, Ballycallan, Castlewarren, Clifton, Cuffesgrange, Windgap, Toor, Baltboys, Hempstown, Humphreystown, Lambe Tinode, Manor Kilbride, Oldcourt, Tombrean-Umrygar, Ballinagate, Gormanstown-Usk, Lipstown-Narraghmore, Leinster Lodge, Blackstairs, Templeudigan, The Rock and Barrowmount Group Water Supply Schemes, decided to undertake a project, the objective of which was to improve the provision of piped water supplies to rural areas in the seven counties. The number of private Group Water Supply Schemes and Public schemes participating in the project (approximately 35) is unique. The Project will be implemented under a design/build/operate contract with EPS Pumping & Treatment Systems being the Private Partner, Main and Operating contractor for the 22 years project duration.

Tom Ruddy, EPS’s Director explains that the task of designing, building and operating on such a diversified scale has led to many challenges for his company. Water is an essential commodity, existing sources and supplies must be maintained whilst replacement, refurbishment, or new build treatment and pumping systems are put in place.

In evaluating the project’s planning requirements EPS have divided the 35 schemes into different categories using various Civil Subcontractors to carry out packages of work such as “Pipelines”, “Reservoirs”, “Precast sump & Tanks”, “Buildings”, and Ancillary Concrete Works and Finishes. This provides EPS with a flexible resource pool that can be deployed on one or a number of sites as the project planner requires.

Planning submissions have had to be prepared for eight different planning authorities for projects in the respective counties. This entails dealing with environmentally sensitive sites in regions such as the Blackstairs Mountains or the Slaney Valley. Plant structures have to “blend in” with the local environment and be unobtrusive yet functional. This poses challenges for the designers and the planners to get the balance right between wants and needs.

The process design phase has had to be completed before the planning submission stage, therefore, the lead in times for all these requirements is crucial so that the “window for planning approval” is not interfered with. Interface with the Clients Representative to ensure compliance with the Employers requirements is adhered to and yet allowing flexibility for design change resulting from changing raw water and process requirements is vital.

When you are dealing with potentially 35 different design submissions a format has to be devised to streamline the process to allow sufficient time for review and approval. Obviously making 35 submissions en masse is not practical and here again an agreed “batch programme” is developed to ensure sufficient resources are available at both Clients Representative and Contractor level.

EPS is unique amongst the panel of Irish DBO contractors who could undertake such a diverse range of schemes as it carries “In House” its own Process, Engineering, Mechanical and Electrical, design engineers who work hand in hand with their “In House” Plant Manufacturing” facility. This means that very little of the work (other than civil works) has to be sub-contracted out to outside contractors. The on-site installation and commissioning crews are resourced from EPS’s facilities at Mallow Co Cork, Mountrath Co Laois, Naas Co Kildare, Ballyhaunis Co Mayo and Cookstown, Co Tyrone (M.C.C. manufacturing facility).

EPS owns the Licence Rights to “Culligan Process Treatment Equipment” through their acquisition of “Culligan’s Irish arm” AH Cullen Water Treatment.

The selection of diverse range of Water Treatment processes for 35 separate schemes has to be tailored with the needs of the operation and maintenance of the schemes by EPS for the next 20 years. Process solutions were selected in “batches” to suit Raw Water quality, Type of source and End user requirements, from Boreholes to Rivers, Springs and Lakes, each having very different characteristics, chemistry and treatment requirements.

Requirement definitions included, power supply availability, (existing or new single or three phase) and process suitability for power available.

Processes chosen include, DAF/Filtration proceeded by chemical flocculation, Pressure Filtration with options for Iron and Manganese removal, Colour and Turbidity. Disinfection using liquid chloros and pre/post Aeration Precipitation aids where required are integrated into the Process Design for the specific application.

Where processes produce residual sludge or waste wash water, recycling or reduction of spent product is incorporated into the designs with membrane barriers on the wash water recycle returns for crypto inhibition. Surplus sludge is stored on site for removal by operations mobile tanker for dewatering and disposal off site at an EPS facility.

The EPS Operations and Maintenance team comprising Process Scientists, Environmental engineers, Instrumentation technicians and Operators have a major input into the design process and will also be engaged to assist in the process commissioning and handover of the schemes prior to the operation and maintenance of the schemes taking place. Each site has a PLC interface with a centralised SCADA system which communicates via G.S.M. satellite, radio or hardwire link to the control centre. The system is monitored 24 hrs/day 7 days/week via the Operation’s Managers “PC anywhere” monitoring and data display system. “SATNAV” directs the nearest available technician to the plant in need of attention in response to fault alerts.

(Footnote: Photos stocking and service resourcing for Divelle range of schemes and geographical locations)

Tom advises that dealing with such a diverse Client base requires a different communication skill set than dealing with conventional “Client Engineering Consultants”. You have to go out into the community, meet at Community Halls, Parish Meetings, Steering Group Meetings, Residents Associations, Group Scheme Committees and County Council Meetings, communicating and advising of activities in their respective areas before they commence.

People have to know when you intend going onto their land or digging up a small rural single carriageway road where only the local school bus may have to pass, or where a funeral cortege has to be respected and accommodated. There are real rural issues and are important if communications and goodwill is to be maintained. You have to be on the ground. Sitting in a project office in Dublin or Cork or the UK is just not on!!

FootNote: EPS Regional Recources covering needs of 35 bundled schemes.

Another critical issues for rural dwellers unlike their counterparts in the cities is the “cost of water”. These rural communities have to “pay for water” through their group water schemes, therefore the capital cost and the cost of the Operate and Maintain of the scheme is of paramount importance whilst a portion is grant aided by the Department of Environment Heritage and Local Government the group schemes have to fund their portion of the build and operate costs also.

The scheme capital cost of €8.5m equates to a capital cost of approximately €2,000.00 per household (4200 connections approximately) which provides the end user with a “value for money” solution at the design build phase and an ongoing operation and maintain cost per household per m³ cost per household per m³ used at a very competitive rate.

To summarise the main approach to bidding, gearing up for, designing, building and operating such a diverse range of schemes and processes entailed EPS having :

• Strong financial & economic standing. This is necessary to resource and build such a large range of sites, projects, to the taking over stage and the ongoing 20 year operation and maintenance of the schemes.
• Extensive technical experience & personnel familiar with the requirements of water treatment technologies for such a diversified range of water schemes.
• Competitiveness in the delivery of projects to make such a diverse range of projects economical from both the capital and ongoing operation cost point of view.
• Network of support services, branches, suppliers and trade partners to handle the complex requirements of existing and new scheme interfaces.
• Multi team approach to civil sub contractors for flexibility and resource requirements to meet the multi site – construction and completion requirements.
• Over 30 years experience working for group water schemes throughout Ireland providing an understanding of local issues, requirements working in partnership with the communities.

The South Leinster Bundle is part of the Governments “Rural Water Delivery Programme” which EPS have been to the forefront on delivering schemes in West Cavan (8 Bundles), South West Cavan (4 Bundles), Lough Annagh GWS, Clare Schemes (4 Bundles), Limerick Schemes (33 Bundles).

As each bundle is so diversified it is important to have built up a reservoir of information on process Proven Technologies to meet the differing ratio water requirements and to apply them successfully to delivering clear safe water to the EU Directive water requirements for the future. EPS are confident they can deliver on this ambitious Government programme.