Gardaí to track ‘rogue trader’ disposing of effluent in drains

GARDAÍ are to be called in to track down a “rogue trader” who has the potential to poison public drinking water supplies and wipe out fish life in rivers.

Senior county council officials expressed serious concern yesterday after it emerged that a person is pouring tanker loads of slurry, chip shop oil and the contents of septic tanks into drains in the east Cork region.

Over the last six to eight months he has struck approximately eight times in Midleton.

County Council employees started to monitor that area in the hope of catching him, but he then shifted his attention to the nearby village of Castlemartyr where he has struck an estimated four times.

As the Midleton sewerage system is larger, it was able to cope with the waste, but the smaller treatment plant in Castlemartyr was overwhelmed.

The most serious incident happened in Castlemartyr last week when the treatment plant overflowed. A broken pipe diverted the effluent into the park and not into the river.

“We were very, very lucky that we didn’t have a major fish kill on our hands. I have spoken to the Fisheries Board who are very concerned, as we are,” said Noel O’Keeffe, the council’s senior executive officer in charge of water services.

He said that analysis of the effluent discharged in Midleton and Castlemartyr showed it was high in fats, oils and grease.

“We suspect whoever is doing this is taking effluents from farmers, chips shop owners and those with septic tanks,” Mr O’Keeffe added.

He confirmed that the gardaí would be asked to help council officials with their investigation.

Apart from having the potential to cause an environmental catastrophe, the rogue trader is undercutting legitimate operators who are paying a high price to properly dispose of such effluent at a treatment plant in Waterford.

Deputy David Staunton, who visited the scene in Castlemartyr, described the stench as awful.

“This is an appalling thing to do and I’m glad that the gardaí are to be asked to find the culprit. It’s a very serious matter,” the TD said.

Mr O’Keeffe has also urged the public to be vigilant. If anybody sees a tanker emptying into a manhole they should get its registration number and contact the gardaí, County Hall or their nearest council officer,” he said.

Mr O’Keeffe also pointed out that there is an onus under law that people supplying waste for disposal know that it is being handled by genuine operatives.

“It is important that people ask to see the person’s licence, because they should have one. They can also ask for a receipt from the operation in Waterford which is accepting the waste,” Mr O’Keeffe said.

He added that the situation was so potentially serious, he would shortly be meeting with Department of Environment officials to discuss ways of combating it.