Arklow Wastewater Treatment Plant named International Project of the Year
Arklow town, in County Wicklow, Ireland, is celebrating international recognition after its new Wastewater Treatment Plant was named International Project of the Year at the 2025 British Construction & Infrastructure Awards (BCIA) in London.
The BCIA is co-organised by the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) and New Civil Engineer (NCE) in the United Kingdom. Delivered by Uisce Éireann – Irish Water, in partnership with Ayesa Engineering, Ward & Burke Construction Ltd, and Clancy Moore Architects, the project was recognised for its outstanding engineering achievement, sustainable design, and positive community impact. This latest win builds on a series of honours that position Arklow as a benchmark for sustainable and collaborative infrastructure, bringing the tally to nine awards to date.
The judges praised the project for its holistic approach, stating:
“The project design demonstrates an engineering solution that holistically meets carbon, sustainability, resilience and stakeholder requirements. The judges were impressed with an architectural design that was sympathetic to local needs during construction and addressed the sensitivities of the environment and community.”
Arklow’s Wastewater Treatment Plant eliminates one of Ireland’s final untreated wastewater discharges, protecting the Avoca River and the Irish Sea while enabling the town’s sustainable growth. Co-created by engineers, architects, and contractors, the project rethinks traditional civic infrastructure through an energy-efficient stacked design that reduces its footprint, lowers carbon emissions, and transforms a functional utility into a sustainable and visually sensitive landmark for the community.
The project has already earned the Engineers Ireland Downes Medal, the ENR (Engineering News-Record) Global Best Projects Award of Merit, and the Irish Planning Institute President’s Award for Excellence, along with second place in the RIAI Public Choice Award for its design and community impact. Most recently, the project also took home Project of the Year at the 2025 Irish Construction Industry Awards, held in Dublin in October 2025, further recognising Arklow’s exceptional contribution to Irish and international engineering.
A short film about the project is available here: https://vimeo.com/1071174763
