Treatment plant blamed for ‘serious pollution’

INSTANCES of what have been referred to as “serious pollution” to the River Fergus in Kildysart were highlighted at Monday’s meeting of the six Kilrush Electoral Area councillors.

At the meeting, Kildysart county councillor Oliver Garry asked that Clare County Council investigate the waste water treatment plant in Kildysart as he claimed “it is causing serious pollution to the River Fergus”.

Replying on behalf of Clare County Council, Cyril Feeney said there are “no current proposals” to upgrade the plant in Kildysart.

The Kildysart sewerage scheme and waste water treatment plant were constructed around 1950. The treatment plant consists of a concrete septic tank. Effluent from Kildysart village flows through the large-scale septic tank, where primary treatment occurs.

Then the effluent flows from the plant to the outfall point into the River Fergus estuary, approximately 50 metres from the plant. The plant was most recently desludged in April 2012.

“It’s a problem with the plant itself. I know the authorities are doing what they can, keeping it de-sludged and so forth. It is very near the Fergus River, it’s within 50 metres of it. It’s causing huge problems for boat owners in the marina at the moment because of the outflow from the plant,” Councillor Garry told the meeting.

He stressed the importance of ensuring that sludge is regularly removed from the facility.

“It is only a glorified septic tank. The amount of houses in the area has increased drastically over the last 10 years. Until we get some proper system there, I hope that the council will keep it de-sludged and keep it pumped out as often as possible. That will save a lot of pollution from the Fergus River,” the Kildysart Fine Gael councillor added.

Councillor Christy Curtin seconded the motion and said local infrastructure is not keeping pace with the increase in the parish population.

“Kildysart is a progressive village. Socially it has developed fantastically but I don’t think the economic infrastructure has matched that,” Councillor Curtin commented.

An application to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for a Waste Water Discharge Certificate of Authorisation, under the Waste Water Discharge Regulations 2007, was applied for in December 2010.

Further information was requested by the EPA, which was submitted to them by Clare County Council in March 2012. However, as of now, no plans are in place to upgrade the plant in Kildysart.