At an Uisce Eireann workshop held this week Clare Fianna Fáil general election candidate Rita McInerney sought an update on the long awaited schemes in Kilkee, Cooraclare and Kilmihil.
“We were told that the Kilkee upgrade is currently in the planning process and that construction will start in the third quarter of 2025. We were told that it would likely take two years to complete the project from that date,” Councillor McInerney explained.
“I made it clear to Uisce Eireann that the location for the plant in Kilkee is far from ideal and that there is significant opposition in the town to it being located on the Dunlicky Road. This was made clear at a public meeting in Kilkee on Monday of this week.
“Lisdeen was proposed as an alternative site and that makes more sense. It would require less energy for pumping due to the downhill flow of waste,” Councillor McInerney said.
“It is especially concerning that the proposal as it currently stands lacks a comprehensive sewage treatment system and it is simply upgrading the existing setup.
“This does not take into consideration the increase in visitors during the summer season and any possible increase in rainfall due to climate change.
Councillor McInerney says that this week’s meeting was also told that site surveys are currently being undertaken in Cooraclare which has a funding allocation of €5.2m under Measure A8 of the Rural Water Programme.
However it will be January of 2025 before there is a more definite update in terms of when the project will start.
“In relation to the upgrade in Kilmihil we were told that there are environmental issues around discharges into the Doonbeg River which is home to protected Pearl Water Mussels. However we were told that the upgrade is “high priority” for Uisce Éireann,” Councillor McInerney said.
Furthermore the meeting heard that water supplies in Ennis, the old West Clare supply and at Doolough were on the “at risk” list from the Environmental Protection Agency.
Meanwhile the meeting also heard that the Kildysart Coolmeen Water Scheme has been “identified and is scheduled for upgrading.”
“I am currently seeking a specific timeline on this scheme as it is particularly significant given that it services 900 houses,” Councillor McInerney said.
Meanwhile ongoing issues regarding the mains supply in Miltown Malbay and Coore were “prioritised as number two in the county” at Tuesday’s meeting.