Irish Water responds re Mitchelstown waste water issue
While the push continues in Mitchelstown for an immediate solution to to be found regarding the town’s waste water treatment plant that would allow building get under way again, the man leading the campaign received a reply from Irish Water on Tuesday of this week for which he says he is grateful.
Outlining briefly the complexity of the issue, Irish Water’s managing director Niall Gleeson, explained that Irish Water has ‘prioritised improvement works for Mitchelstown Waste Water Treatment Plant and have allocated budget accordingly’.
“However the solution is technically complex, given the particular circumstances in Mitchelstown with the environmental limitations of the receiving waters.”
The letter continues: “We intend to apply for planning permission as soon as we have a design that will meet the required environmental and other statutory standards, which we are obliged to comply with.
“We are working in parallel with our regulators and all stakeholders to see what interim solutions might be possible pending delivery of the enduring solution.”
TEMPORARY SOLUTION
Commenting on the letter, Denis McGrath said he was ‘encouraged by it’, adding: “At least it’s an answer.”
He had already been informed by Minister for Housing Darragh O’Brien TD that the prioritisation and progression of individual projects is ‘a matter for determination by Irish Water’.
However, as promises have been forthcoming with years now regarding this issue, and with no definite timeline being given, Denis McGrath is hopeful that a temporary measure can be found that would, in the interim, get housebuilding back on track for the town.
A company dealing in waste water management informed him that, as a temporary measure, another tank with a pump in it ‘could be placed outside the existing septic tank to pump away to a new percolation area location’.
The company explained that this would alleviate the issue of overfill for the time being ‘but would probably give issues down the line if the percolation area is not fit for purpose’.
Denis, who says he has no building development ‘waiting in the wings’ nor is he ‘aligned in any way to any developer’, understands that a temporary solution would be just that - temporary, but would help to get building in the town underway again.
“I just want to see footfall on our main street increase so that businesses can grow and houses for our young people can be built,” he said.