Irish Water says it’s working to address what’s been described as a ‘stomach churning stench’ coming from a Meelick wastewater system.
It follows concern raised by locals about what’s described as a ‘stomach churning stench’ coming from the Ballycanon Heights sewage system.
It’s a recurrent issue and the smell is particularly bad in warm weather and last summer saw Clare County Council add odour-treating chemicals as a temporary measure.
Meelick Fianna Fáil Councillor Cathal Crowe outlines the extent of the problem.
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Statement from Irish Water
The Ballycannon Wastewater Treatment Plant has been selected by Irish Water to be included in a pilot programme to examine and address historical issues with smaller wastewater treatment plants around the country. Of a total of 540 wastewater treatment plants nationally to be reviewed, Ballycannon is one of 16 plants included in the pilot scheme and the only one in Co Clare.
As part of this programme, a project team has been appointed to assess the condition and performance of the plant and make recommendations on whether it could be improved by process optimisation or if upgrades are required. For the pilot sites, it is intended that detailed design work will then take place based on these recommendations.
In allocating funding for capital investment, Irish Water must prioritise investment decisions to ensure that it utilises available funding most effectively by making investments that deliver the biggest environmental and social benefits while maximising value-for-money.
In the meantime, Irish Water will continue to monitor the performance of the plant and, working with Clare County Council, take any action needed to deal with any odour issues that arise.
Irish Water would like to apologise to residents in the area for any inconvenience caused as a result of this issue.
