Ardara celebrated the opening of its new Environment Improvement Scheme and new Sewerage Treatment Works this week by the Mayor, Cllr John Boyle in the presence of Glenties Electoral Area Committee Chairman, Cllr Terence Slowey.
Environmental Improvement Scheme – Herrons Field, Ardara 
The Environmental Improvement Scheme (EIS) at Herron’s Field, Ardara represents a major Urban renewal project for Donegal County Council. The EIS project has involved the purchase of a greenfield site in Ardara in 1998 by the Planning & Economic Development Directorate and its transformation into an important local resource for the community and visitors to the area. This substantial and multi-faceted scheme involved the provision of car and coach parking spaces, footpaths, decorative lighting and street furniture, an attractive riverside walk, picnic amenity and landscaped areas, the provision of an access road and site for the development of a community playschool and public playground, completed under the programme to date.
The total cost of the scheme is approximately €1.5 million. 
Funding for this scheme has been sourced from Council’s own resources, the BMW Operational Programme for Urban and Village Renewal 2000-2006 (funded by the Irish Government and Part-Financed by the European Union under the National Development Plan 2000 – 2006), the International Fund for Ireland and the Donegal County Council and Strabane District Council HEART Initiative.
Officially opening the new Park, the Mayor, Cllr John Boyle paid tribute to the Environment Improvement Scheme, which had been completed to the highest standard by the Council. He referred to the close involvement of the local community, through the public consultation meetings and, particularly the contribution made by the Ardara Parish Council in the development of the Scheme.
In referring to the development, the Mayor stated that the new amenities of the Scheme, particularly the riverside walkway, tourist information stands (providing information on walking routes, places of interest and angling) were reflective of the progression of the town of Ardara as an important visitor location especially for avid walkers and anglers.
Speaking at the Official Launch, Anne Bonner, Board Member, International Fund for Ireland remarked,
"I am delighted to be here this afternoon to attend the launch of what I am sure will be another very successful IFI assisted project in County Donegal. The International Fund for Ireland has always prioritised projects which strengthen cross-border and cross-community linkages. It was for that reason we were so pleased to contribute to the project here in Ardara. From the Fund’s point of view the beauty of a project such as this is its potential impact on the wider community. The successful international walking festival this project has created and the series of walkways in the village to create the central node between the Bluestack Way and Bealach na Gealtachta will be of benefit not only to Donegal but surrounding counties will benefit – whether north or south of the border. Donegal County Council and the EIS programme are to be commended for the fabulous results these programmes have achieved."
Ardara Sewerage Works
Ardara is a service town and tourist centre at the head of Loughros Bay. It is on the National Secondary Route, N56, which links Killybegs via the west and northwest coast to Letterkenny. The Owentocker River flows east-west through the town. It is bridged between the Diamond and Front Street. Main Street is south of the river. Front Street is north of the river. 
The old sewerage scheme in Ardara served the Main Street of the town. These sewers discharged by gravity into two septic tanks which required upgrading.
To comply with the EU Directives a new Sewerage Treatment Works located adjacent to Loughros Bay was provided.
The sewer network consists of approximately 9.0km of pipelines. There are three outlying pumping stations that pump the sewerage to the treatment works. The main pumping 
station, which takes the majority of the town sewer, is located in Molloy’s Field. The discharge rate for this pumping station is 5,184,000 litres per day (60 l/s) compared to 345,600 litres per day (4 l/s) and 1,036,800 litres per day (12 l/s) for Portnoo Road pumping station and Loughros Point pumping station respectively. There is a storm separation system (Heli Screen) in place within Molloy’s Field pumping station due to the combined storm and sewer system within the existing sewers. The Heli-Screen has a 6mm fine screen, which will screen any excess storm water before entering the Owentocker River downstream 130m from Molloy’s Field pumping station.
The Sewage Treatment Works is an extended aeration process consisting of fine screening, grit removal, fine bubble diffused air aeration process with secondary sedimentation and the final effluent discharging through a 400mm diameter outfall pipeline.
The storm water will pass through fine screening and grit removal systems before gravitating to a storm water holding tank. The flow from the storm water holding tank will be returned to the inlet of the aeration tanks at a controlled rate. During periods when the storm water holding tank cannot retain all the storm water, excess flow will overflow the tank and discharge to the 400mm diameter outfall pipe via the sampling chamber. The flow passed forward to full treatment will be pumped to the inlet of the aeration tanks.
