TD’s are being urged to enshrine the completion of the Lahinch Wastewater Treatment Plant in the next programme for government in order to combat a major public health and housing concern.
It follows an audit carried out by the EPA, which found the facility hasn’t been providing an appropriate service due to frequent flooding.
One local representative has branded the Lahinch plant as an environmental and ecological disaster.
Cllr Shane Talty says he’s not at all surprised at the findings and believes if the treatment plant went before today’s planning process, it would never be approved in its current location.
Uisce Éireann has also confirmed that the construction start date for a new facility is likely to be pushed back until 2026 and that it won’t be finished before 2030.
Cllr Talty says the lack of a definitive date is putting the town’s tourism industry in jeopardy.
The Environmental Protection Agency’s investigation only covered the first eight months of the year, but still determined the plant was flooded one in every three days it was opened, included 20 out of 29 days in February.
The report also highlighted a number of emissions breaches for Ammonia, Phosphorous and suspended solids and ordered Uisce Éireann to take action to protect bathing waters and the nearby River Inagh from discharges.
Since 2022, 36 homes have been refused planning permission in the town to sewerage deficiencies, while swimming was restricted in Lahinch for 41 days of the bathing season, the following year.
Lahinch Water Quality Activist Liam Grant says the upgrade needs to happen within Clare’s next political cycle.
You can listen to the full interview here:
Statement from Uisce Éireann
In relation to wastewater treatment in Lahinch, a feasibility study has been completed to look at the requirements and potential options to upgrade both the Lahinch Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) and Ennistymon WWTP.
A new treatment plant to serve both the Lahinch and Ennistymon catchment is the preferred option. The project is currently at detailed design stage and will require several assessments (e.g. environmental, route and site selection, marine survey and modelling) as well as statutory approvals (planning, foreshore licence, EPA Licence review, wayleaves) and as such will take some time to complete.
As with any significant infrastructure project, construction timelines and completion dates will be subject to a range of external factors. For this reason a commencement/completion date for the upgraded wastewater treatment plant at Lahinch/Ennistymon cannot be provided at this stage. It is expected that the initial scoping and design works for the upgraded plant at Lahinch/Ennistymon will be progressed through the current investment plan as a matter of priority, with the project to be progressed further in the subsequent investment periods subject to approvals.
