‘No guarantee’ to solve Quin odour problem

A SENIOR engineer for Clare County Council has stated the authority is “confident” odour problems in Quin will be alleviated as a result of work on the sewerage system at Quin Gardens. However, Sean Ward also stated that the council “cannot guarantee” that the works will solve all the problems in the Quin sewerage system and there is still the intention to carry out a major upgrade if funding becomes available.

Councillor Sonny Scanlan, at a meeting of Ennis East Electoral Area councillors, had requested the up-to-date position on the system in Quin Gardens. He said that there had been a “terrible odour” in the area last year.

Senior engineer Mr Ward responded, “It was not possible during 2012 to commence a full upgrade of Quin wastewater treatment plant, estimated cost of €800,000 to €900,000, due to non-availability of funding. However, in August and September of 2012 Clare County Council applied to the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government Rural Water section for approval to divert to Quin an amount of approximately €130,000 of our Small Schemes allocation, which could not be spent at its original intended destination because of design issues.

“We succeeded in our application and have spent this money on a number of the highest priority items of improvement at the existing plant, including inlet screening, improved aeration and sludge tank. These works will be incorporated in any larger upgrade, which we may be able to do in the future. The money spent in 2012 won’t go to waste if we do the bigger job.”

He added, “Already, we are seeing an improvement in effluent results and a reduction in the costs of sludge management  and we are confident  odour problems will also be alleviated. We cannot, however, guarantee that the works done to date will solve all problems in the Quin sewerage system.

“These works do add significantly to the spare capacity of the plant to cater for any future developments and there are still major problems of infiltration of stormwater and/or groundwater into the sewers.

“Furthermore, when we receive a wastewater discharge licence from the EPA, we may have to comply with stringent conditions, which the works done to date cannot in themselves achieve.

“Therefore, we still intend to carry out a major upgrade if funding becomes available and the works done to date can be regarded as an important advance element of such an upgrade.”

Councillor Pat Daly said he was sympathetic with the residents affected by the odour, which he described as “desperate at times”. “We should go to the department and get the money for this; the residents have put up with enough.”

Councillor Tommy Brennan commented, “The minister said the reasons for the property tax was for things like this and he got more than his fair share in Clare.”

Councillor Johnny Flynn added it was “great to see the current Government ­providing funding for this.”

Senior executive engineer for the Ennis Electoral Area, Eamon O’Dea, stated that the works should reduce the odour, adding the system is very heavily monitored.

“I would be hopeful that what we have done will ­reduce what has been occuring up to now, an overall scheme is necessary at some stage but hopefully what we have done will alleviate issues.”