At a meeting of the Water and Sewerage SPC of Mayo County Council this week, senior engineer for the council, Noel Burke, informed the members that the Achill treatment plant should be handed over to the operators some time next week.
The other two plants currently under construction in Kiltimagh and Castlebar are also expected to be handed over to the operators soon. “In Kiltimagh, they are currently in the proving process. They are running sewerage through it, there is an issue with sludge settling, but that can be overcome quickly. In Castlebar the work is moving along well, they are also currently in the proving process. I would expect that in around April it would be handed over, there are also a few civil works that have to be completed in Castlebar,” Mr Burke told the meeting.
When he was questioned about the other planned schemes and their status, Mr Burke outlined a number of issues. “In Belmullet we are waiting to get foreshore and discharge licences from the EPA, they have the application and we are waiting for them to respond to us. In regards to the Killala scheme, we were hoping to use the old Ashai plant outflow pipe, but we are waiting on foreshore licence for that also. That application is currently with the attorney general’s office.”
Fine Gael councillor Austin Francis O’Malley questioned Mr Burke in relation to the Clare Island scheme asking when it would be completed. Mr Burke responded by telling him there is a draft scheme being drawn up by the planners, but what will happen and when is down to the Department of Environment. Mr Burke also told the meeting that while the preparation work had been done on small schemes in Cross, The Neale, and Mayo Abbey, no treatment plants had yet been built and the timing and size of the plants depended on what funding would come from the Department
