PROJECT PROFILE
DERG WATER TREATMENT WORKS
MURPHY RISES TO THE TECHNICAL CHALLENGE OF A TRICKY WATER SOURCE, AND RISING PESTICIDE LEVELS, TO DELIVER A ROBUST SOLUTION ON DEADLINE FOR NORTHERN IRELAND WATER… PROCESS & MEICA DESIGN
With the flashy Strule and Derg rivers historically difficult sources, Derg Water Treatment Works (WTW) has in recent years faced multiple exceedances of the pesticide MCPA and rising levels of THM precursors. In response, Northern Ireland Water (NI Water) commissioned a project to construct a new inlet, clarifiers, activated carbon dosing and sludge treatment. Commenced in April 2021, the project achieved beneficial use in March 2023 and handover in late 2023. Murphy was initially commissioned by NI Water to deliver the process and MEICA design of an early contractor involvement (ECI) undertaking for the
water treatability improvements. It was also charged with design, supply, installation and commissioning of all process and MEICA elements of the project under the main contract. BIM 3D modelling was implemented during the design ECI period through to ‘as constructed’ handover of the main project. Facing potential impact on costs and lead times of key plant from the triple threat of Covid-19, Brexit and the war in Ukraine, Murphy brought forward all MEICA procurement activities to secure quotations and minimise inflationary surcharges while ensuring timely delivery dates were achieved.
The firm also faced a range of technical challenges requiring an innovative response. Among issues was a notable deterioration in the quality of raw water pumped to the new inlet works from what was experienced in previous years’ sampling data. Shane McVerry, JV Manager at Murphy, said, “The raw water colour was notably high for sustained periods of time and subject to intermittent sudden changes, due to the flashy nature and unpredictability of the river abstraction sources.” To address the variability, the automatic control system was boosted with
“Operational attention had to be more frequent during the commissioning phase.”
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