Feasibility study call for new sewerage facility
The issue was raised at Boyle MD. Pic: iStock
The lack of public wastewater treatment infrastructure for the Knockvicar area was highlighted by Cllr Sean Moylan at recent meeting of the Boyle Municipal District.
Cllr Moylan called for a feasibility study to assess the need and viability for a new public sewerage scheme and water treatment plant for the Knockvicar-Ardcarne area.
Knockvicar’s current wastewater treatment plant is based at Tara Marina and has functioned for the last 18 years. According to research presented by the Fianna Fáil councillor, the existing plant serves 16 homes, a 50 seat restaurant and a 100 berth marina.
For many years, the plant has been maintained by one volunteer, who is now aged 73 and aims to retire soon, and increases in regulatory compliance and costs have put further pressure on the facility.
Beyond Tara Marina, about 294 residents in 73 homes, St. Michael’s NS with 225 staff and pupils and St. Michael’s GAA Club all rely on individual septic tanks.
Cllr Moylan said future housing, business and tourism efforts are being restricted due to the strain on the wastewater plant. Independent councillor Valerie Byrne agreed, pointing out that many towns and villages in the county have outgrown their plants.
A council spokesperson outlined that any feasibility study would need to be carried out by Uisce Éireann.
Cllr Moylan described this as “passing the baton,” with the spokesperson acknowledging the disjointed nature between bodies.
Fine Gael councillor Liam Callaghan pointed out that the first issue with any housing development is where water and sewerage goes.
Sinn Féin councillor Leah Cull supported Cllr Moylan’s motion, and highlighted issues she has experienced getting answers to the proposal from Uisce Éireann on behalf of the Ballyfarnon community.
In response to one of Cllr Moylan’s proposals to link Knockvicar and Ardcarne’s wastewater system to Cootehall’s, Cllr Callaghan and Independent councillor Tom Crosby believed work carried out by Uisce Éireann for such a plan would be very expensive.
Independent councillor Micheál Frain suggested that ÉirGrid’s North Connacht Project might be used as precedent for largescale projects and community cooperation.
Stressing the need to be proactive, Cllr Moylan called for action to be taken by Roscommon County Council and Uisce Éireann in carrying out a feasibility study.
“If we could get into a situation where we had the study ready to go, we would then lobby central government for doing things like this. Especially now with the government looking for more housing and developments, that this will be ready to go and we get ourselves first in the queue for that development,” he said.
He also pointed out that with many developments in the area being beside the River Boyle, a potential environmental hazard could be very costly.
The councillors agreed to send a letter from the Municipal District to Uisce Éireann highlighting the need for a feasibility study to progress the future development of the area’s wastewater treatment infrastructure.
*Published as part of the Local Democracy Scheme
