Located on the edge of Strangford Lough, on the Ards Peninsula, Portaferry Road WwPS serves the eastern catchment of Newtownards, forwarding wastewater from Newtownards town to Ballyrickard WwTW, located approximately 3km away. A Drainage Area Plan for the catchment identified that Portaferry Road WwPS did not meet NI Environment Agency (NIEA) requirements for 507m3 emergency storage volume and reduced spill frequency and did not offer any screening for sewage overflows to Strangford Lough, an SAC and Marine Conservation Zone.
McAdam completed civil and structural design for Graham Construction to provide an upgraded WwPS, incoming sewers and rising main providing additional network capacity, upgraded WwPS incorporating a wet well, valve chamber with flow meter, emergency storage tank using pre-cast segmental shaft, 6mm screened overflow and upgraded pipework and pumping equipment. The works also included the provision of a new motor control panel within a new kiosk, wash water system and a range of additional safety improvements to reduce operational and maintenance risks.
The improvements to this station helps reduce the potential of flooding in the area and protects the sensitive waters of Strangford Lough, a valuable commercial, tourism and leisure resource for the community in the Newtownards area.
