Burrow Beach surface water outfall refurbishment project complete

Fingal County Council is pleased to announce the successful completion of the Burrow Beach surface water outfall refurbishment project. This project, involving the installation of a new pipe and anchor system across Burrow Beach to replace the existing outfall, will enhance the beach area and provide long term resilience to the storm water network.

The installation works were carried out at lowest tide without the use of sheet piles, mainly using an excavator and dump truck, and was completed within 12 weeks, in time for the bathing season. The project was carried out with minimal disruption to the local community, beach users and in compliance with environmental standards, as the site transects a Special area of Conservation (an SAC) important for its Tidal Mud flats, and a (Special protection area (an SPA) important for water birds.

The project involved the design and installation of precast concrete segmented anchor blocks on a foundation of galvanised, pvc-coated gabion stone-filled mattresses and geotextile underlay, to carry 95m of High-density Polypropylene pipe 315mm diameter (HDPE). This pipeline needs to withstand lateral and direct wave and tidal forces, and exposure class unreinforced concrete was specified for the blocks, secured with marine grade stainless steel dowels.  The existing concrete anchoring structure had to be broken into manageable fragments and taken off site for crushing/ reuse as fill elsewhere. 

Mary T Daly, Director of Service, Operations Fingal County Council, said “The existing outfall had been subjected to erosion and storm action over the years, and had significantly deteriorated over time, its anchors had come loose and was not fit for purpose. This refurbishment work is an investment in the future for the area, as the pipe is now secure and the proper flow is restored."

The site works were undertaken in-house by Fingal County Council’s own minor works crew, whose expertise and experience helped deliver the scheme within a tight window to be completed before the bathing season. The design was carried out by Malachy Walsh and Partners Consulting Engineers with input from ecologists Scott Cawley Associates. The main structural elements - precast concrete blocks- were supplied by Shay Murtagh Precast Ltd.