Irish Water has received budget approval to move to the design, planning and procurement stage for a new sewerage treatment plants for Kilrush and Kilkee.
Clare Fine Gael TD Joe Carey has confirmed that construction is expected to start in 2019 with the work taking 12 to 18 months to complete.
“Irish Water has confirmed that they are currently in the process of appointing engineering service providers to bring the projects to completion. The next phase will continue through to the latter part of 2018. This will include planning permission, site investigation, environmental surveys, licensing, land acquisition and way-leave procurement,” Deputy Carey explained.
“It’s been a long wait for an essential service and I’m delighted that my representations have finally succeeded in getting a favourable response from Irish Water.
“The lack of modern wastewater treatment plants in Kilrush and Kilkee is a long-standing issue that was highlighted when the annual Christmas Day swim was cancelled because of unsafe water conditions in Kilkee Bay.
“Kilkee is one of 45 different locations in the State where raw sewage is pumped directly into a water channel, in this case straight into the Atlantic Ocean. This practice was highlighted by the EPA in their Urban Waste Water Report of 2014. These discharges contribute to poor quality bathing waters at times in Kilkee while the system in Kilrush is totally outdated,” the Clare TD declared.
“New treatment plants were first promised for Kilrush and Kilkee in 2005 and were included in the Department of Environment’s investment Programme 2010-2013. At the time of transfer of the local water services function to Irish Water, these schemes were at a stage where the preliminary report had received approval from the Department of the Environment.
“New treatment plants were first promised for Kilrush and Kilkee in 2005 and were included in the Department of Environment’s investment Programme 2010-2013. At the time of transfer of the local water services function to Irish Water, these schemes were at a stage where the preliminary report had received approval from the Department of the Environment.
“The next step was to procure a site investigation contract, phase one of the wastewater treatment plant and phase two of collection systems. Clare County Council presented a business plan to Irish Water with regard to these schemes at the time of transfer requesting that they be included in the Capital Plan.
“Irish Water undertook a concept design study last year and I have now been informed that they have received budget approval to proceed to the next stage which includes detailed design, planning and procurement,” Deputy Carey explained.
Provision for the Kilrush and Kilkee treatment works are included in the current Irish Water Investment Plan 2017 -2021.
Irish Water has committed that by the end of 2021 the practice of discharging untreated effluent from the areas identified in the EPA Waste Water Report will cease.
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