‘As useful as an ashtray on a motorbike’
Failure by Uisce Éireann to expedite the upgrade of the wastewater treatment plant in Nenagh has led to a stall on vital housing projects in the town, Cllr Séamie Morris stated at the March meeting of the Nenagh Municipal District authority.
Cllr Morris severely criticised the water company who, he said, was causing the holdups.
He declared that Uisce Éireann was “as useful as an ashtray on a motorbike”.
Tipperary County Council’s plans to build a scheme of 27 houses on a site in Gortlandroe and a further 13 beside the former Rialto cinema cannot progress until the water company grants these projects connection to the town’s wastewater treatment plant on the Old Birr Road.
Other council housing schemes also stalled due to the same issue include a plan to construct seven house scheme in William Street, 13 at Millersbrook and 10 at New Line Road.
A similar problem in Puckane has also put a stall on the council’s plan to press ahead with a scheme of 21 houses in the village.
Councillors, who voiced deep frustration over the issue, said yet another plan by a private developer to build a scheme of 34 houses in Ballycommon was also on hold pending a move by Uisce Éireann to provide a properly working wastewater treatment facility in the village.
FORMAL COMPLAINT
The hold-ups on the vital projects in the town of Nenagh itself has prompted Cllr Morris to make a formal complaint to Uisce Éireann.
He criticised the company for failing to press ahead expeditiously with the upgrade of the current wastewater treatment plan, which is at capacity.
Cllr Morris said Uisce Éirenn broke a commitment it made to Tipperary County Council in January 2022 to have a planning application for the upgrade of the plant submitted by the first quarter of 2023.
In fact the company did not make a planning application until the latter stages of last year. Cllr Morris said it could now be 2028 before the upgrade works are complete. He said this delay was putting the brakes on vital development all over the town.
“They [Uisce Éireann] are as useful as an ashtray on a motorbike,” declared Cllr Morris. “The future of my town is being held up by the incompetence of Uisce Éireann.”
put pressure on
He said the council and its elected members now had to put pressure on the water company to deliver for the town. “We have to stand up for people who have to emigrate to places like Australia because of no housing.
“This town is being held at gunpoint by Irish Water.”
Nenagh Municipal District Engineer Barry Murphy said the council had sought further information from Uisce Éireann on its plan to upgrade the wastewater treatment plant.
upgrade wastewater treatment plants
Mr Murphy said one of the council’s key concerns was in relation to how the proposed works would impact on the town due to the large number of heavy goods vehicles that would be travelling to and from the plant while the works were taking place.
In particular, the council had concerns about how lorries were going to negotiate the tight junction into the Old Birr Road off Ormond Street.
The council was worried about the impacts the works could have on Bulfin Cresent residents as a result of lorries avoiding the junction and using an alternative route through the housing estate.
“We do not want hundreds of heavy goods vehicles going through Bulfin Crescent,” said Mr Murphy.
If works was required on the tight junction then Uisce Éireann would be expected to contribute to the cost.
Cllr Joe Hannigan called on the council to invite officials from Uisce Éireann to meet with officials and elected representatives in a bid to expedite matters.
Cathaoirleach Cllr Fiona Bonfield said that would be done.