Uisce Éireann says fixing Cork wastewater network will cost two billion euros

Uisce Éireann told the Public Accounts Committee that fixing the wastewater treatment system in Cork City will cost roughly 2 billion euros, the Irish Examiner reported. The state utility stated that repairing the network will require digging up to 60 kilometres of busy city centre streets. [1]

The Court of Justice of the European Union is planning to impose fines of more than 250 million euros on Ireland over the state of its water network, according to the Irish Examiner. Cork City is a major contributor to the non-compliance of the country with the urban wastewater treatment directive. [1]

Cork is the second-largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the county town of County Cork. It had a population of 224,004 people at the time of the 2022 census. [2]

The massive infrastructure project remains necessary because the current network fails to meet European Union environmental standards, which has put Ireland at risk of major financial penalties. [1]