Mullingar scientist/engineer ensuring local treatment plants run like clockwork

As part of Science Week, Irish Water is profiling several of our most innovative and ground-breaking scientists and the vital work they do in the water and wastewater industry and the role that science plays in safeguarding our water supplies and the environment.

Catherine McDonough is the asset operations lead at Irish Water. Born and based in the Mullingar area with an educational background in science, Catherine is at the forefront of protecting and enhancing the operations of wastewater and water treatment plants in Westmeath.

This combination of skills has given Catherine a full 360 view of not only the delicate balance of complex chemical processes in treatment plants, but also how they work technically, from beginning to end.

“Knowing how oxygen gets into the system to breakdown the wastewater and understanding its vital role in the treatment process means that science comes into my work every day. Whether we are modifying oxygen levels to treat the wastewater or adding more chlorine to the drinking water, first-hand knowledge of the chemistry of the process to ensure a perfect balance in optimising the treatment processes at the plants is vital.”

Catherine joined Irish Water in 2014 when the public sector body was in its infancy and it was here where she could mould her expertise in science and engineering into one career. After an initial stint in compliance she gravitated towards process optimisation as her science background equipped Catherine with the tools to get the best efficiencies and processes out of treatment plants, from an energy and costs perspective.

Speaking about her role at Irish Water, she said, “You have to be a trouble-shooter and problem-solver in this role. In the complicated arena of process optimisation, expertise of the whole wastewater and water treatment processes and cycles is essential. If a plant has problems, I am on the frontline to check dose rates, the oxygen levels in the aeration systems and put my scientific knowledge to good use.”

Catherine has worked on many ground-breaking projects during her time at Irish Water and is now wastewater operations lead where her engineering and scientific skills gel together. One of the most prolific and satisfying projects that Catherine has led is at the Athlone Wastewater Treatment Plant in her native Westmeath.

In 2019 the plant was upgraded with new inlet works and centrifuge dewatering systems to improve the quality and productivity of the plant. Before the upgrade of the plant the sludge dewatering system was operated via a belt press which could work with varying sludge dry solids feed, but the newly installed centrifuge was unable to operate automatically with this variability. This resulted in the centrifuge being operated manually where 100 per cent of the tasks were carried out by operators, leading to inefficiencies and spiralling costs.

“This was a mammoth undertaking by Irish Water to automate the plant. Previously, operators worked tirelessly to keep the plant running. With the new automation in place, the plant can run like clockwork and human inputs have been virtually eliminated. Best of all the operators can now function in other parts of the plant to ensure the best efficiencies in terms of costs and energy savings”

Thanks to the hard work and dedication of Catherine and her team, financial savings of €5,000 per month were achieved in operation costs and the innovation provided freed up the operators to carry out other essential tasks. The innovation used in the upgrade proved so successful that its roll out at other sites is now being considered.

Catherine has also dedicated her time to encouraging young students to pursue careers in science and engineering. In 2022, Irish Water took part at the STEM Secondary School exhibition, aimed at students in secondary schools to promote STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) subjects for Leaving Certificate.

For further information on Irish Water’s events throughout the country as part of Science Week, visit www.water.ie/scienceweek