With the city's water treatment facility in Mutton Island struggling to process the city's wastewater during times of even 'relatively light rainfall events', frequently rendering two popular beaches for local bathers as 'unsuitable for swimming', the planning committee of An Taisce is appealing to Galway City Council to address the urgent issue before adding more homes to the city water network.
This week, the planning committee of An Taisce, a charitable organisation that seeks to preserve environment and built heritage, appealed a decision by Galway City Council to grant 10-year Planning Permission to Uisce Eireann (formerly Irish Water ) for a proposed wastewater storage tank at Merlin Park Pumping Station near Lios an Uisce. Prior to council approval, An Taisce alongside other environmental and planning groups raised concerns about the 'inadequacy of the information submitted' which has resulted in a lack of 'proper assessment into the proposed development' and its purpose.
An Taisce has also brought to An Bord Pleanla’s attention that Uisce Eireann is more than nine years overdue to complete previously agreed improvement works to the local drainage network as specified in the Wastewater Discharge License, which stated that works were to be completed by May 2014, but have not yet been carried out.
As the urgent need for housing in Galway city is continuing to grow, the lack of 'additional critical infrastructure' for developments of 'badly needed new housing' such as; the Merlin Woods Social and Affordable Housing Project, as well as additional housing in Doughiska, Ardaun, Oranmore and Garraun, will see the already struggling wastewater drainage network continue to pump untreated wastewater into the Claddagh Basin, and subsequently Galway's beaches during periods of rain.
In a press release issued on August 17, the organisation stated, "An Taisce has brought to An Bord Pleanala’s attention that the wastewater drainage network doesn’t have the capacity to convey all the wastewater to Mutton Island Wastewater Treatment Plant for treatment during relatively light rainfall events.
"Our observation over the past five years is that when rainfall exceeds 3.2mm per hour, the wastewater drainage network’s capacity is exceeded with discharges of untreated wastewater through storm water overflows into the Corrib at Long Walk and at the mouth of the lock to the Claddagh Basin. It is likely that there are also discharges through some other storm water overflows which are not so easily accessible. This results in the bathing water at Ballyloughane Beach and Grattan Beach being unsuitable for swimming."
While the overflow of untreated discharges from the combined sewers through the 'storm water overflows' is permitted under 'unusual weather conditions' under the 'Wastewater Discharge License' from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA ) that Uisce Eireann holds, it is only relevant in situations where rainfall exceeds 30mm in six hours, 40mm in 12 hours or 50mm in 24 hours, and there have only been three such instances since the Wastewater Discharge License was issued in 2010. Despite this, An Taisce say that the overflow of untreated discharge from Mutton Island into the Claddagh Basin occurs far more frequently than is permitted by the EPA, and is only going to get worse the longer it is left in the current state, but that they welcome all appropriate measures to correct the issue, provided such measures are clearly defined as able to 'provide adequate wastewater infrastructure for the growing needs of Galway city.
"An Taisce welcomes all appropriate measures, including storage tanks, to provide adequate wastewater infrastructure to cater for the growing needs of Galway city, Oranmore and Bearna and to eliminate flows of untreated wastewater into the Inner Galway Bay Complex SAC and Inner Galway Bay SPA, in the interest of protecting both public health and the environment.
"An Taisce is looking forward to the publication by Uisce Eireann of the Greater Galway Area Strategic Drainage Study, which includes the Galway East Main Drainage Scheme to address the strategic growth capacity for Galway city and its Eastern Environs."
