Water & Wastewater Treatment Services

Notwithstanding the debacle that the ‘introduction’ of water charges led to, and the ramshackle establishment of Irish Water, since 2009, significant investments have been made in enhancements to drinking and waste water treatment in both jurisdictions across the island of Ireland, which are legally bound to comply with the EU Urban Waste Water Directive. Leaks due to deteriorating pipe work and bacterial contamination of small group water schemes urgently require addressing and will create new opportunities in the future.

Jobs for graduates

Repairing and replacing the existing supply and collection networks will continue to provide jobs for graduates especially from engineering and technical disciplines. Graduates will also find opportunities in developing intelligent systems for monitoring and detecting leakages within water networks and also in developing advanced technologies for processing wastewater sludge.

Science graduates in particular will find opportunities with companies developing advanced technologies for water treatment such as membrane systems and ultraviolet (UV) treatment. There are some jobs for graduates of all environment-related disciplines in developing integrated greywater recycling and rainwater harvesting systems. Hydrogeologists are employed in this sector to work on projects around groundwater flow and quality including sourcing supply, testing water quality and ensuring that supplies are protected from pollution.

Geologists do similar work in assessing rock and soil conditions and advising on construction projects before and during completion. Although growth is limited in DBO (Design-Build-Operate) projects, graduate jobs can also be found in water and wastewater treatment plant development, for example in upgrading existing septic tanks.