*Photograph: Paul Corey
WASTEWATER capacity exists in Ennis and the town is not closed for business when it comes to development, a senior official in Clare County Council has stressed.
Ennis has two wastewater treatment plants to serve the county town and surrounding areas located in Clareabbey and Clonroadmore. The Clareabbey plant is full while capacity exists at Clonroadmore.
Both Cllr Paul Murphy (FG) and Cllr Pat Daly (FF) sought clarity at this month’s sitting of the Ennis Municipal District regarding the capacity of the Clareabbey plant. Cllr Murphy asked Uisce Éireann to brief the Ennis MD in-person and in writing on their projected timelines, funding required or acquired to expand or improve the current network.
Senior engineer with Clare County Council, Seán Lenihan wrote to both the Uisce Éireann Director with responsibility for Asset Management and Sustainability, Sean Laffey and the Wastewater Lead for Clare, Derek O’Toole asking them to respond to the questions as raised. He stated, “I am aware that heretofore, it has not been their practice for Uisce Éireann personnel to attend at Municipal District meetings but again, I have extended the invitation as requested”.
Capacity in treatment plants is “a hot topic,” Cllr Murphy commented, “All we can do is write to Uisce Éireann and see what response we get from them, this is a critical issue for town of Ennis and Clarecastle. Clareabbey is the kernel of the problem at the moment, it is at full capacity and needs to be expanded to allow for future growth”. He said, “we’re the largest town in Munster, we’ve two wastewater treatment plans and one of them can’t take anymore action, it is not good enough, how we can grow when housing is critically needed”.
Sufficient water and sewage capacity are “vital for future construction developments in Ennis and Clarecastle,” Cllr Daly maintained. “This shouldn’t be happening in a town like Ennis,” he said while pointing out live applications are dependent on getting water access from Clareabbey. He labelled Uisce Éireann “a bloody difficult crowd to contact”.
Areas like Ennis and Clarecastle are “desperately in need of new housing developments but this will really hamper us,” Cllr Tommy Guilfoyle (SF) said. He labelled it “shocking” that allowing for additional capacity was not considered when Clareabbey wastewater treatment plant was first built. He claimed the Council was “underfunded and undermined” with the lack of capacity. He told his colleagues, “I’ve marched against the quango of Uisce Éireann which is not for purpose, if I took over the county in the morning I’d shut it down and give it back to the Council”.
Smell emanating from the Clareabbey has prompted Cllr Tom O’Callaghan (FF) to make a formal complaint. He stated, “Uisce Éireann does not seem fit for purpose”. He referenced the recent decisions such as granting planning for the Supermac’s Plaza and Lidl on the Clare Rd, both of which will be served by the Clareabbey plant. “If the government is serious about progression in retail or housing we need to get the facts right and one of them is wastewater”.
For Clareabbey to be at capacity is “hugely frustrating,” Cllr Mary Howard (FG) commented. “We can’t build houses not because of land but because of water services and we’re in a housing crisis. We need our Oireachtas members on board with us,” she added.
Mayor of the Ennis MD, Cllr Clare Colleran Molloy (FF) questioned, “Are we saying we don’t have capacity for more housing in Ennis because a lack of capacity in Clareabbey. This is very serious because it never has been stated before. Are we in Ennis MD acknowledging we don’t have capacity, that is an emergency for our growing town”. She repeated, “are we saying Ennis Town cannot build anymore housing”.
Director of Economic Development with the Council, Carmel Kirby responded, “there is wastewater capacity in Ennis, the town is not closed for business”. She continued, “Clareabbey is close to being full as a result of an extension by Uisce Éireann”. Capacity still exists in Clonroadmore, she confirmed. “One problem in Ennis is a lot of service water is seeping in, Uisce Éireann are preparing a drainage plan and modelling it, we are expecting results from that in the short-term”.
Engagement between the Council and Uisce Éireann is consistent and proactive, Kirby said. The “important and critical nature of ensuring we have plenty capacity as the largest town in Munster,” has been stressed in such interactions, she outlined.
Uisce Éireann have a traffic light system which is at red for Clareabbey, Lenihan advised. “Any planning application granted recently which is not built are provided for in the capacity as calculated,” he said to diffuse any fears for large-scale developments granted. Uisce Éireann does require more money, he said.
