Landmark reached for Athlone Main Drainage Scheme

The €114 million Athlone Main Drainage Scheme has reached a major milestone with the successful completion of a second underwater tunnel beneath the River Shannon, linking the town’s sewer network from east to west.

In a feat of precision engineering, a massive tunnel boring machine was lowered into an eight-metre-deep shaft at the Strand Car Park on the river’s eastern side. Navigating its way beneath the riverbed through gravel and rock, it emerged 22 days later on the west bank, near Sean’s Bar — guided throughout by specialist diving and tunnelling teams.

Eunan Canavan, Portfolio Manager at Uisce Éireann, said, “This final river crossing marks a major step forward in delivering a project that will shape Athlone’s future. With over 80% of the work now complete, the end is in sight. We’re incredibly grateful to our dedicated crews and the Athlone community for their ongoing support as we work to safeguard the environment and prepare for future growth.”

Westmeath County Council Cathaoirleach, Councillor Liam McDaniel, also commended the project, adding “Tunnelling beneath the Shannon is an extraordinary engineering achievement and a big leap forward for Athlone. While this work may not be visible day-to-day, it’s vital for protecting our environment and supporting the town’s expansion. Our thanks to Uisce Éireann and the construction teams for their outstanding efforts.”

Construction began in 2023 and is progressing steadily. All shaft construction has been completed, with the final phase of tunnelling underway from the Strand Car Park. Connection works to integrate existing and new sewer infrastructure will continue across various locations in the coming months.

Commissioning work is ongoing at Coosan West Pump Station, while testing at the new terminal pumping station in Golden Island is scheduled for the summer.

This flagship scheme includes the construction of nearly three kilometres of underground sewer pipes and new pumping stations at Golden Island and Coosan West. Once finished, it will significantly reduce the risk of sewer flooding, eliminate non-compliant overflows into the Shannon, and future-proof Athlone’s sewer network for a growing population.

For more details, visit the project page.