Interim solution for Mitchelstown still only at ‘feasibility planning stage’
The people of Mitchelstown are still awaiting news on the timeline for the upgrades on the Waste Water Treatment Plant, as well as what the ‘interim solution’ will look like - or if it is feasible.
The last update, at May’s Northern Committee meeting, was from County Engineer Kevin Morey, who stated that funding had been committed by Irish Water for interim works, to ‘bring the plant up to its maximum design capacity’. It was stated at the May meeting that updates would be due ‘in a few weeks’.
Irish Water are in the process of devising a longterm solution for the treatment plant. However, as works for this are not foreseen to be completed until at least 2025, it was agreed with Irish Water that an interim solution would be investigated to allow some housing developments to progress in Mitchelstown.
Irish Water this week confirmed that long-term works for the plant in Mitchelstown had been ‘prioritised’, but did not confirm that an interim solution was agreed, only that it was at 'the feasibility planning stage'.
The Avondhu contacted Cork County Council to clarify if the interim solution was definitely progressing. The council have advised that the upgrading of the treatment plant is under Irish Water’s remit and that "they would be best placed to provide an update on current status.”
The Draft County Development Plan allows for another 378 new households to be built in Mitchelstown by 2028 to sustain population growth, business and allow for community development. However, no new developments can be granted planning permission until the Waste Water Treatment Plant is upgraded. The development plan also references a February 2021 report that the waste water status of Mitchelstown allows for ‘no growth’.
The plan also identifies Mitchelstown as having a ‘Strategic Infrastructure Deficit’, affecting both drinking water and waste water. The only towns in Cork to score poorly on both drinking and waste water are Dunmanway and Mitchelstown.
At the beginning of May, James O’Connor TD raised the issue in the Dáil with Minister for Housing Darragh O’Brien. At that time, the Minister for Housing stated that he would be meeting with Irish Water, stating: “we will come up with quite an innovative solution in the summer”. The minister also committed to meeting Deputy O’Connor in relation to the issues.
Local campaigner for the project Denis McGrath, called on the politicians involved to uphold their promises to the people of Mitchelstown. “They’re happy to take the plaudits - let them stand by their commitment now,” he said this week.
Irish Water have been aware of the issues at the Mitchelstown plant since they assumed responsibility for the water and wastewater services in January 2014, but note that the issues were present when they inherited it. The main issue, according to a 2018 Irish Water report, is that the plant cannot treat ammonia (nitrogen) to the acceptable limit of 0.5mg/l. In 2018, the mean level of ammonia discharge was 1.6mg/l.
The same report gave the River Gradoge an EU WFD rating of ‘poor’, and notes that the discharge may be contributing to decreased levels of oxygen downstream in the River Funshion. High levels of ammonia in rivers is toxic to wildlife.
This week's full statement from Irish Water is as follows:
'Irish Water has prioritised improvement works for Mitchelstown Waste Water Treatment Plant and we have allocated budget accordingly. However the solution is technically complex, given the particular circumstances in Mitchelstown with the environmental limitations of the receiving waters. 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.
'In parallel to this, we are investigating the feasibility of an interim solution with our regulators and all stakeholders to see what might be possible pending delivery of the enduring solution.'