Athlone Marina is unlikely to regain its Blue Flag until the first stage of the Main Drainage scheme for the town is implemented, according to town clerk John Walsh.
Responding to a request from Cllr Mick O’Connell that the council discuss the reinstatement of the Blue Flag for 2009, Mr Walsh explained that the Blue Flag had been withdrawn because of discharges from the storm flow at Abbey Road. He added that there would be little point in even applying for the award next year, as the Blue Flag would not be returned until the sewage overflow at the marina had been removed.
Speaking following the meeting, Cllr O’Connell said he believed the loss of the Blue Flag could have been prevented. “The agreement with An Taisce was that the Blue Flag could not be flying if there was sewage being discharged into the river at the CSO (combined sewage overflow ) beside the marina. When An Taisce carried out their inspection the Council was in breach of this requirement, hence the flag was lost.”
According to Cllr O’Connell, there will now be a waiting time of three to five years before the use of CSOs has been eliminated and Athlone can re-apply for the flag.
“From 2003 to 2007 we were deemed to have a marina with water quality that was deserving of Blue Flag status and now in 2008 it is clear that we are not capable of maintaining that standard. Blue Flag status gives the public and tourists an amount of assurance that the water quality in the Shannon is of reasonable quality. The Shannon provides Athlone and other towns with its drinking water and any deterioration in the quality of the water must be questioned.”
The Athlone Main Drainage project is progressing “painfully slowly”, says the councillor. “An environmental impact statement is still outstanding from the council to the department. I will continue pushing this issue until we see diggers on the streets. It is totally unacceptable for sewage to be discharged into the Shannon at any time. The council would be very quick to prosecute private dwellings and farmers for pollution, yet Government are slow to provide funding to stop this practice.”
