Construction will begin this month on a new eco-friendly wastewater treatment facility in Garrison, County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland, marking a significant step in a wider cross-border effort to improve water quality in shared water bodies between Northern Ireland and Ireland.
The scheme forms part of the Water Enhancements through Sustainable Treatment (WEST) project, a €32 million initiative jointly delivered by NI Water and Uisce Éireann. WEST targets water pollution across counties on both sides of the border, including Fermanagh and Tyrone in Northern Ireland, and Leitrim, Sligo, Cavan, Monaghan and Donegal in Ireland.
At Garrison, located close to the border with Ireland, the project will introduce an eco-friendly wastewater treatment solution using reed-bed technology, supported by a solar system to meet low-level energy demands. The new plant will be built alongside the existing mechanical wastewater treatment works off the Dooard Road, which will continue operating until the sustainable facility is commissioned.
A new pipeline connecting the nearby Ravensbrae development to NI Water’s wastewater network is also included. This element of the project addresses a long-standing local wastewater issue and removes a potential source of pollution affecting Lough Melvin, a transboundary lake shared by Northern Ireland and Ireland.
The WEST project is supported by the PEACEPLUS Programme, a €1.14 billion funding programme designed to promote peace and prosperity across Northern Ireland and the border counties of Ireland. PEACEPLUS is co-funded by the European Union, the UK Government, the Irish Government and the Northern Ireland Executive, and is managed by the Special EU Programmes Body.
Beyond Garrison, WEST includes wastewater treatment upgrades at Belleek (Northern Ireland), Ballybay and Blacklion (Ireland). Collectively, these upgrades will enhance treatment performance and provide additional capacity, while an extensive cross-border catchment modelling programme will inform future investment to protect Lough Erne and Donegal Bay.
The WEST project, launched in November 2025, is currently in progress and is scheduled for completion in 2029.
