O'Neill Ground Water Engineering Ltd (OGE)

With extensive expertise in water supply, quarrying and mining, bottled water, food & drink, planning and environment, OGE is one of Irelands leading independent hydrogeological consultancies.

OGE was formed in 1996 as a hydrogeological and environmental consultancy. The company provides specialist advice in ground water, surface water, well drilling and testing and borehole technology.

With a staff of 10 hydrogeologists and environmental scientists, OGE provides a fast response time, together with expert technical advice on all aspects of hydrogeology and hydrology throughout Ireland.

OGE was appointed as the principal consultant to undertake all aspects of the implementation of the Water Framework Directive for ground water in the Western River Basin District (WRBD). This work is ongoing since April 2004. OGE have been involved in establishing the information required for the water source protection zones in the river basin districts, to which this expression of interest relates.

The implementation of the ground water aspects of the WFD in the WRBD included the following areas of work -

• Completion of extreme vulnerability mapping for the WRBD
• Undertook representivity analysis to optimise location of monitoring wells
• Analysis of the pressures and impacts on ground water bodies as part of the Article 5 Characterisation process
• Establishing the quantitative and qualitative monitoring networks as part of the National Ground Water Monitoring Programme. As part of the project, OGE are also members of National Working Group.

OGE has developed practical expertise in geothermal ground water projects. The company works in partnership with mechanical/electrical engineers to deliver the yield for the long-term supply of geothermal energy from ground water. Some recent projects include BMW Quarrypark, Treacys Hotel Enniscorty and Vista Healthcare in Naas, Co Kildare.

OGE has a significant amount of field expertise and equipment required for the project. Recently, the company has expanded into the area of wireline logging (downhole geophysics) - and has the in-house capability to address any geophysical problem from fluid logging to CCTV. The company's expertise in Source protection has enabled the development of Ireland's major bottle water manufacturers. Members of staff of OGE have been involved with Ireland's premier bottled water for over twenty years.

OGE has also been involved in modelling aquifer protection schemes for bottled waters - assessing the impact of large-scale dewatering projects on the surrounding hinterland, assessing the potential impact of the landfilling of fly-ash from proposed power stations and utilising numerical modelling to assess the impact of small-scale dewatering projects as part of quarry EIS.

The company's water and environment team specialises in the following areas -

• River Basin & Catchment Studies (principal ground water consultant for the WRBD);
• Source Protection Mapping;
• Water Resource Development;
• Environmental Impacts, Audits and Assessments;
• Project management;
• Ground Water Flow;
• Transport & Hydrochemical Modelling;
• Contaminant Hydrogeology;
• Water Supply Engineering;
• Dewatering and Ground Water Control;
• Geophysical Surveys & Wireline Logging - and
• Database Development & Management.

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