Head-scratching over treatment plant

‘Clock is ticking’ on 18 houses planned for Ballycommon

Water coming out of the treatment plant in Ballycommon is of worse quality than that going into it.

“They're scratching their heads over it,” Cllr Séamie Morris told the July meeting of Nenagh Municipal District. He tabled a notice of motion calling for pressure on Irish Water to upgrade the plant as soon as possible, as he said it is “holding-up and possibly could stop the building of 18 badly-needed houses in the village”.

The formal response to the motion stated that Irish Water has yet to provide a definite date for upgrading the plant. The matter is still under consideration and there is no upgrade plan at present.

Cllr Morris said the “clock is ticking” on planning permission for the houses. He could not believe how many people seemed to be looking into the situation, yet there is no sign of any remedy for the plant, from where tanks of sewage are still being removed twice daily and brought to Nenagh.

Cllr Morris had written to the water authority about the situation on several occasions but had been unable to get a response.

Cllr Joe Hannigan said the reply sent in response to Cllr Morris’ motion “should be rejected out of hand”. The plant is not capable of doing the job required of it, and getting a tanker to remove sewage to another plant is a waste of money. Cllr Hannigan said the council should write back to Irish Water saying it is not satisfied with the “desktop response” it received.

Cllr Ryan O'Meara described Irish Water as “the single biggest barrier to building houses”, not just in Ballycommon but Cloughjordan and elsewhere in the district.

People are in desperate need of houses, be they private or state-provided.

Cllr O'Meara said local representatives are doing their best to move the matter along, but the level or lack of response from Irish Water to “even the most basic of questions” is “so deeply frustrating”.

In support, Cllr John Carroll feared local villages would “die or stagnate” if development opportunities are not availed of, while Cllr Louise Morgan Walsh said people wanting to build houses on their own family land are also affected by the impasse.

Cathaoirleach Cllr Fiona Bonfield said all issues regarding Irish Water could be raised in a workshop with the authority that is planned for September.