Councillor calls water treatment plant plan a ‘sticking plaster’

PLANS for the upgrading of the Clonroadmore Waste Water Treatment Plant have been described as a “sticking plaster for something that needs a heart transplant” by one local councillor.

Councillor Frankie Neylon was speaking at a meeting of Ennis Town Council as they debated the proposed development. An application to An Bord Pleanála has been made for the upgrade under the Strategic Infrastructures Act 2006.
Mayor of Ennis, Councillor Tommy Brennan urged the incoming Government to provide funding for upgrading the sewage treatment network throughout Ennis.
“Clonroadmore is a very small part of the overall solution to the problems with sewage in Ennis, the incoming government needs to provide the funding. This needs to be looked at straight away, we’ve been in this situation since 1995. Clonroadmore is only part of the solution, the upgrading of Clareabbey and pipes around the town is necessary,” he said.
Gerry O’Donnell, Clare County Council Water Services told the meeting that an overall strategy for the town’s waste water infrastructure is currently being worked on. It is intended to present the overall strategy to the Department of the Environment in the coming months, he added.
Councillor Johnny Flynn agreed with Councillor Brennan that the project would be ideal for infrastructural investment from the Government. He added that an improved system would be an investment in the commercial and residential future of the town.
Councillor Neylon stated he hoped this would be the last time the council is presented with plans for the system.
“This goes back I don’t know how long, we’ve had plans put in front of us before. Everyone is aware in the town that there are capacity problems. This is another sticking plaster for somebody who needs a heart transplant and I don’t want in 30 years time to be still talking the same thing,” he said.
According to an environmental impact statement in relation to the planned development of Clonroadmore, “There is a clear and urgent need to upgrade the treatment capacity for wastewater in the main Ennis urban area to cater for the current and predicted growth in domestic population and in the commercial and industrial sectors. The existing plant at Clonroadmore is already considerably overloaded.
The report also stated, “This proposal for upgrade of Clonroadmore WWTP will provide for treatment of the wastewater loading arising in its catchment for the short to medium term, in a sustainable and economic manner. Further capacity will be provided later through incremental upgrades of the sister Clareabbey plant to the south. This proposal forms part of a coherent plan for the provision of upgraded facilities to treat all wastewater arising in the entire Ennis agglomeration.”