This article is from page 16 of the 2011-03-08 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 16 JPG
THE Mayor of Ennis, Cllr Tommy Brennan, has called on the incoming Government to make good on promises to upgrade the sewage treatment network in Ennis.
Plans to upgrade wastewater treatment plants in Ennis were first announced in 1995 but the project suffered a major setback in 2001 when the Department of the Environment refused funding.
Gerry O’Donnell of Clare County Council’s water services section, told the meeting that the council is currently working on an overall strategy for the waste water treatment infrastructure in Ennis.
He said that while previous plans had been drawn up, the new strategy had to take into account the “raft of environmental legislation” that has been published in recent years.
Cllr Johnny Flynn (FG) said that the Clondroadmore project opens up the potential for commercial and residential development in Ennis.
Cllr Brennan (Ind) said that Clondroadmore formed part of the overall strategy and that the incoming Government had given funding commitments to the council.
In supporting the upgrade to Clonroadmore, Cllr Brennan called on the council to seek funding for the overall wastewater network scheme.
Cllr Neylon was skeptical about the project, describing it as a sticking plaster and claiming councillors will still be talking about in “30 years time”.
“We might never get the chance again. The plug was pulled in 2001. We’ve said it before, but if an industrialist were to come to town we would have to refuse planning because we don’t have capacity,” he added.
The council intends to upgrade the existing waste water treatment facility at Clonroadmore. The current design capacity of the treatment plant is 17,000 pe. According to Town Manager Ger Dollard, the proposal will allow for a design capacity of 30,150 pe. The project will improve stormwater capacity and treatment at the plant as well as increasing the plant’s hydraulic capacity.