West Mayo sewage group ready to 'make noise' to advance treatment plant

A GROUP advocating for a new Wastewater Treatment Plant in Newport says they will start making noise if Uisce Éireann does not commit to delivering the project by 2030.

Raw sewage from the existing holding plants in Newport continues to flow into Clew Bay and according to an EPA Urban Wastewater Treatment report published in October, the plant is not expected to be upgraded by Uisce Éireann until 2030.

The new treatment plant was initially down for completion in 2023 but Uisce Éireann stated in 2022 that it will be 2025 before it is completed. The completion date was later moved to 2028 and last year Uisce Éireann confirmed that it will now be 2030 before this will take place.

READ: Busy Mayo town set for car park closure for next fortnight

The decision to move the completion date back to 2030 was described as 'the final straw' by the Newport Sewage Concern Group who have called on Uisce Éireann to meet them and give a firm commitment that the project will be completed by the end of the decade.

Cormac Kelly, who is a member of the group and also Chairman of the Newport Business Association told The Mayo News that they are happy to work with Uisce Éireann to progress the project but says they have heard nothing back to date to convince them that Newport is a priority for the state-owned water utility body.

“The goal is it will be [completed in] 2030 and we want to hold them to that. We are not expecting Uisce Éireann to come down and start building today or tomorrow. We want to hold them to 2030 because we have a feeling they will push the date out again and we just don't want that,” he said.

Meetings

In recent weeks the group has met with local TDs and other public representatives to discuss the delays in advancing the project and the upgrade of the treatment plant has been raised in both the Dáil and the European Parliament.

Mr Kelly said if Uisce Éireann do not engage with the group, they are prepared to 'make noise'.

“We welcome them to meet us and keep us filled in on what is happening and what is the hold up ... will we see it in 2030 or will it be pushed out to 2035? We are not asking for much but we are asking them to say they will do what they said they will do and deliver it in 2030.

“We will wait for a couple of weeks to see what Uisce Éireann does and if they don't we are going to ramp the campaign up a bit and get more public outcry. We will get national media involved and demonstrations.

Cormac Kelly (left) and members of the Newport Sewage Concern Group recently met with local TD Keira Keogh

“We don't want to do it and won't if Uisce Éireann gets on with it and does the work but if they force our hand we will have to go out and make more noise. The Business Association and all the people in Newport want to work with Uisce Eireann and we are here to help them but we are sick of getting pushed around,” he explained.

The issue of raw sewage flowing into Clew Bay from the Newport holding tanks was first highlighted in The Mayo News in 2016 by the late Neill O'Neill and local councillor Brendan Mulroy. After initially denying raw sewage was flowing into the bay, Uisce Éireann, Mayo County Council and the EPA later admitted this was the case and there was a need for an upgraded treatment plant.

Newport is one of just 16 towns and villages across Ireland where raw sewage discharges daily because their public sewers were not connected to treatment plants.

Town being held back

Mr Kelly explained that the absence of a treatment plant is holding back the town economically and development is not possible without it.

“In this day and age for raw sewage to be pumped into an amenity like Clew Bay, it is holding the town back and robbing us of our potential. As the chairman of the business association we are seeing businesses close which should not be closing. Houses are not being built and everything is being held up waiting for this sewerage plant which Uisce Éireann keeps kicking the can down the road and there seems to be no end in sight. We are waiting and waiting for Newport to be developed but it is being held back.”

He added that water sports and other activities at the harbour for children have stopped due to health concerns over raw sewage.

“The current system they have is not working with raw sewage constantly pumped into the bay. From years looking at the bay you can visibly see it getting worse every day. The landscape of Clew Bay has changed. Boats cannot get in and out on half tide due to back up of sewage. Places I could walk through as a child I would not dare walk through now. I would just sink,” he said.

Uisce Éireann says the Newport Wastewater Treatment Plant is currently at Preliminary Business Case where Uisce Éireann say they will develop a short list of solutions, identify the preferred option and calculate an estimated cost.

However they are awaiting a Maritime Usage Licence (MUL) to carry out the necessary survey work from the Maritime Area Regulatory Authority (MARA).

“Once we are granted a licence and can then carry out the work to complete the Preliminary Business Case we can provide better clarity on the likely timescale for completion of this project, assuming no further unforeseen delays. We will provide a further update to stakeholders once the Maritime Usage Licence is granted,” a Uisce Éireann statement read.