Waterford TD Marc O'Cathasaigh has told the Dail that Bunmahon deserves better than to treated as 'an open sewer'.
The Green Party deputy was speaking as he called for investment in the wastewater treatment facility, which now serves a population four times larger than the one it was designed for:
"The existing wastewater system is 50 years old and has not been subject to any significant upgrade in that time. It was originally designed to cater for a population of approximately 120 people. It is the most basic of primary treatments. It has a holding tank where the wastewater sits for 24 hours, which allows certain things to settle. The liquid, which is still not very pleasant, is then syphoned off the top. The tanks are desludged annually. However, the permanent population is now double that and is 500 or more during the summer. Therefore, the wastewater system is operating at four times over capacity."
Marc O'Cathasaigh visited the town recently to see the issues for himself:
"I stood over the pipe and looked at what was coming out. It was not a pretty sight. The primary treatment is not doing the job it needs to do in separating out the solids. I would not base anything on anecdote having popped out there for one day. Waterford City and County Council conducted a microbiological survey and found exceptionally high levels of E. coli in the water in front of the caravan park and below the bridge. A sample taken in August suggests figures as high as 7,000 or more colony-forming units per 100 ml. The locals know not to leave their kids play there but the holidaymakers might not know that. Despite all this, Bunmahon was not included in the latest capital investment plan to 2024."
Underspend
At a recent Dáil sitting, Tanaiste Leo Varadkar revealed a €100 million underspend by Irish Water.
Deputy O'Cathasaigh said the money could be put to good use in Waterford:
"When I raised this with the Tánaiste, the question I asked was whether we needed to invest more money in wastewater systems. I was amazed when he answered that this year there was an underspend of €100 million. I will give the Minister of State an invitation. If he had €100 million to spend in any county in Ireland, he is more than welcome to come to Waterford to spend it, where it would be well spent throughout the county. There are solutions available. The short-term solution in Bunmahon would be to seal the pipes and to pump out more often so that it is de-sludged annually.
In reply, Minister of State in the Department of Housing and Local Government Malcolm Noonan said he would act on the issue:
"The Deputy painted a picture of a very challenging situation, particularly in summertime when the population increases fourfold due to visitors. Any treatment system has to reflect the population equivalent in terms of the level of treatment. The fact that it is not included in the capital investment plan, as the Deputy said, needs to be reviewed by Irish Water. It certainly sounds to me to be an issue of urgent priority which needs to be addressed. I will take it back to the Minister and make representations to Irish Water on the Deputy's behalf as well."
