Clare estates ‘in limbo’ over wastewater services red tape

THE plight of residents of Clare housing estates caught up in red tape over wastewater services has been raised by Senator Róisín Garvey.

The Green Party member highlighted in particular the situation at Westcoast View at the Crosses of Annagh in West Clare.

“The people there have been waiting many years for the estate to be taken in charge,” she told Minister of State, Thomas Byrne.

“At this stage they have been waiting nine years. It has its own wastewater treatment plant and the position of Irish Water is that it is not responsible for taking in charge of developer-provided water services infrastructure.

“Clare County Council can no longer legally take a private wastewater treatment plant, WWTP, in charge as it is no longer a water services authority. How will we remedy this situation?

“From doing lots of research and from many emails over and back it seems a number of estates in west Clare are in the same predicament, as they also have their own wastewater treatment plants.

“They seem to be falling between two stools. There is a disconnect in the legislation and private developments with developer-provided wastewater infrastructure cannot be taken in charge unless the legislation is changed to fund or legislate or both for Irish Water or local authorities to take the infrastructure in charge.”

The Inagh woman also outlined the long delays with regard to having bonds released to local authorities.

“We have to wait years to get the bond for the local authorities to have the money to do the work and when they finally get it, perhaps eight or ten years later, it is a fraction of the costs needed,” she said.

“This is very frustrating for me and I am the least of those involved. There are the people living in the estates and the local authorities themselves.

“The county council would like to be doing what it needs to do for these houses but it is not its responsibility and nor is it the responsibility of Irish Water.

“It seems we are in limbo because we have changed the powers of local authorities and given the powers they had to Irish Water, but nobody takes responsibility for these housing estates.”

Responding, Deputy Byrne outlined that a scheme was introduced in 2019 to tackle “legacy issues” with water services.

He said that in 2020, €3.36 million was allocated for 26 estates across ten counties with almost 950 households to benefit, from the connection of their services to the local Irish Water network.

“A study is being carried out by Irish Water to develop the best solutions for estates with legacy developer provided water services infrastructure,” he said.

“The study will help the Department with developing policy solutions, including issues around funding, for estates, such as the one referenced by the Senator, that due to distance and size are not viable to connect to the public network.

“This is by considering sustainable treatment technologies either on the same site or another suitable alternative site. I understand the study is expected to be completed by the summer. It will take a number of funding programmes to fully resolve these estates.”

Senator Garvey expressed concern at the level of government funding, saying: “There are probably 26 estates in County Clare that need assistance.”

She described the overall water situation, “between lead pipes, poor infrastructure and more” as “appalling”.

Senator Garvey asked Junior Minister Byrne to convey her concerns to his senior minister, saying, “We need to get the water services right for the existing housing estates, regardless of whether they comprise six or 70 houses.”

Deputy Byrne said he hoped Senator Garvey would tell residents that “there is money available but that the work is not going to be done at once and that we are trying to work out the best possible way to spend it”.