Councillor cries foul over Clonlara pipe blockage

A CLONLARA councillor has criticised the frequency of blockages in the sewer pipe network for a local authority housing estate in the village.
At a recent Killaloe Electoral Area Meeting, Councillor Michael Begley claimed that one section of the system linked up to the Derryvinna Housing Estate is occasionally becoming blocked at the same location.
Having conducted a preliminary investigation with the predecessor of the existing caretaker, Councillor Begley said they formed an opinion without the benefit of digging up the pipes that one manhole, which was sited at less than a 90 degree angle, had an acute bend and facilitated a build-up of solids at that location.
“It always happened at the same location. To be fair to the council, it was always cleared within 24 hours once they received notification of the problem.
“Because it was in a location away from the dwelling houses, it would take some time before the blockage would result in a delay in the flushing of toilets for houses in the estate until they realised what was happening.
“This has caused inconvenience at times for residents and I believe this problem can be tackled by replacing this section of the sewer network.
“It wasn’t responsible for the foul smell a few weeks ago when the old sewage treatment plant was decommissioned and taken away,” he said.
Sewage is no longer treated in Clonlara, following the installation of the new €2.5 million Clonlara Sewerage Scheme. Clare County Council has provided a new sewage collection system in the village and all wastewater is now being pumped to the Limerick City Treatment Plant in Bunlickey.
Senior executive engineer, Séan Lenihan admitted he was not aware of a current problem in the pipe network in Derryvinna, which had resulted in blockages.
Having checked the council database of complaints, he pointed out the council hasn’t been advised of any particular section in Derryvinna causing problems.
“I know in the past the council has had to deal with a number of blockages, which occurred due to inappropriate material being disposed of via the system and householders are reminded to be vigilant in this regard.
“I will discuss the matter further with the water services engineer and supervisor and will take the necessary remedial action if any is warranted,” he said.
Councillor Cathal Crowe also highlighted sewer complaints at the meeting when he called for a report to be given to the area members outlining the cause for a stench of raw sewage in Ballycannon Heights (Meelick), Derryvinna Estate (Clonlara) and Shannon Banks.
He also requested an outline of how the council proposes to rectify these problems both in the short and the long-term.
Councillor Crowe claimed that sewage could be seen at the back of the Derryvinna Estate.
In a formal response to the motion, Seán Lenihan, senior executive engineer, stated that during the summer months, with low rainfall and warm temperatures, it is normal for sewage to become more pungent.
“This can become an odour issue on calm days where there is little wind. Also, as a result of low rainfall, material may settle in the sewer mains or manholes for longer than normal periods due to the reduced hydraulic flow. This again can lead to odour issues.
“Clare County Council periodically inspects sections of the sewer mains in the Ballycannon, Derryvina, and Shannon Banks areas in order to keep them in good order and prevent blockages.
“Furthermore, if the area office receives complaints it will investigate and carry out any works necessary,” he wrote.
Speaking at the meeting, Mr Lenihan explained, “We have gone through the complaints and there is nothing unusual happening there. We have pulled out the likes of hay, jumpers, soccer balls, so the public have a duty here to be mindful of what ends up in there.
“There is ongoing work in Shannon Banks on stormwater pipes. There also could be issues with people who are illegally connected to the pipes and we are following up on that. But in the main, there is no reason for it to be backed up,” he concluded.