The Water Enhancements through Sustainable Treatment (WEST) project has been officially launched at Finn Lough Resort on the shores of Lough Erne. The €32 million initiative aims to combat water pollution in Counties Fermanagh, Tyrone, Leitrim, Sligo, Cavan, Monaghan, and Donegal through advanced catchment modelling and sustainable wastewater treatment. Supported by PEACEPLUS, a programme managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB), the project represents a major cross-border collaboration between NI Water and Uisce Éireann to improve water quality in Lough Erne, Lough Melvin, and Donegal Bay, all of which are affected by contaminants from agriculture, forestry, urban runoff, and wastewater discharges.
The WEST project will identify priority areas for investment and develop two strategies and action plans based on robust catchment modelling and innovative, sustainable treatment solutions. These outputs will be reviewed and accepted by environmental regulators across both jurisdictions. As part of its practical outcomes, the project will implement four low-carbon wastewater treatment upgrades—in Belleek and Garrison in Northern Ireland and Ballybay and Blacklion in Ireland—enhancing treatment for over 5,000 residents and providing capacity for an additional 1,000 people.
Funded under the Water Quality Improvement Programme investment area of PEACEPLUS, the initiative emphasizes a collaborative cross-border approach aligned with the EU Water Framework Directive. Irish Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage James Browne TD highlighted the importance of cooperation to protect shared water resources, noting that the project will trial nature-based, low-energy wastewater technologies on an unprecedented scale in Ireland. Similarly, Northern Ireland’s Minister for Infrastructure Liz Kimmins praised the project as a model of collaboration that will bring tangible benefits to border communities through improved water quality and upgraded treatment facilities.
SEUPB Chief Executive Gina McIntyre described the WEST project as a pioneering example of cross-border environmental cooperation, introducing catchment models and strategies never before tested at this scale on the island. She emphasized that protecting and enhancing natural resources is vital for sustainable economic and social development, as clean environments support healthy lives and attract investment.
The PEACEPLUS programme is co-funded by the European Union, the UK Government, the Government of Ireland, and the Northern Ireland Executive. Building on the legacy of the earlier INTERREG VA programme, which delivered over €55 million in water quality projects—including Catchment Care, SWIM, SWELL, and Source to Tap—the WEST project continues this legacy of cross-border cooperation aimed at creating a cleaner, greener, and more resilient environment.
