MacSharry raises concern over Sligo’s water capacity
THE Cairns hill water treatment and distribution works is to be shut by Irish Water in June according to Deputy Marc Mac Sharry.
It is one of two Irish Water facilities currently serving the greater Sligo area.
Deputy MacSharry has warned if Irish Water-proceeds to close the Cairns Hill facility Sligo won’t have the capacity to cater for new companies or any other development with a significant water demand.
“This is totally unacceptable and will leave Sligo totally exposed. I first became aware of this threat in January 2016, following which I raised the matter by way of a Private Members Motion in the Senate on January 16th 2016. Gerald Nash, then Minister responding, gave little reassurance.
“However, on April 14th 2016 Irish Water issued a statement announcing the upgrade of the Foxes Den which would cater for current and substantial additional capacity.
“They said the works would take nine months and would commence in May 2016. Nothing has happened since and Irish Water is set to press ahead with the closure of Cairns Hill in advance of the necessary up grades at Foxes Den.
“This will leave Sligo at or close to maximum capacity with no future commercial development potential. The bottom here line is Irish Water’s Cairns Hill closure in June will further exasperate the increasing State neglect of our area and their discriminatory actions which underpin our inability to perform to our potential and provide badly needed employment and housing.”
Deputy MacSharry said currently, the urban area of Sligo together with Strandhill and Ballisodare are served with approximately 10,200 cubic metres of water. This is made up of 7600 cubic metres distributed from the Foxes Den plant and 2600 cubic metres pumped from Foxes Den to Cairns Hill where it is blended with water from the Cairns Hill plant.
This blending practice has been carried out for some years now which helps to remedy an issue with THMs which had been deemed to be at an unsafe level before the water was blended. It is now safe.
THMs or Trihalomthanes can be created towards the end of a network where organics in the piping mix with chlorine. While not proven, it is believed that THMs may be carcinogenic and so safe levels of THMs are determined to be up to 100 micrograms per litre. FollowingFollo the practice of blending CairnsCair Hill water with Foxes Den all waterw being distributed is within in safes levels, Deputy MacSharry pointedpoin out.
“The state of the art Foxes Den facilityfaci is capable of production and distribution of in the region of 11000110 cubic metres of water while the Cairns Hill facility is currently providingpro approximately 2500 cubiccub metres. A total of 13500 cubiccu metres.
“The proposed closure of Cairns hill in JuneJun will mean the capacity available from Foxes Den will be approximately 11000 cubic metres, a reduction of 2500 cubic metres per day. While there are plans to upgrade the Foxes Den facility to 16000 Cubic Metres capacity the necessary works have not commenced nor are there any assurances that the capital resources required are available. Despite the frequent self- praise in press statements from Irish Water it is beginning to come to light that they are expecting new water connection applicants to pay the substantial costs to upgrade the Foxes Den facility.
“The inherent danger in this is it could quite easily direct water dependent companies interested in establishing a presence here to go elsewhere such as Galway, Athlone or further afield. The Government must ensure that the Foxes Den is upgraded to 16000 cubic metre capacity before the closure of Cairns Hill and that sufficient resources are made available for this as a matter of the utmost urgency. Irish Water say a contract has been signed for the upgrade of Foxes Den Water treatment Plant. Construction works are underway and design work is on- going. Once the upgrade works at Foxes Den Water Treatment Plant are complete, the Cairns Hill Water Treatment Plant will be de- commissioned. The € 3m project is due to be completed this summer.