Residents forced to run for cover over ‘unbearable stench’

RESIDENTS of a famed seaside village in Kerry are in “near-despair” after two decades of pleas for a proper sewerage system continue to fall on deaf ears.

The stunning sunsets and dramatic scenery in the golf and fishing village of Waterville have drawn famous people from one end of the last century to the other, from Charlie Chaplin to Tiger Woods.

An overwhelming stench — fanned by the westerly winds over Waterville’s beautiful bay — saw tourists and locals run for cover at the weekend, locals said. “There are no people at one end of the village as they can’t walk on the promenade because of stench. It’s unbearable,” one man said.

People were forced to put coats over their heads to reduce the impact.

A caller to Radio Kerry said he could no longer tolerate the smell and it was affecting asthmatics. “It worsens when the tide is out and locals have to keep their windows shut,” a listener said.

Waterville’s population triples to 3,000 in the summer. The massive holiday homes’ boom saw the village command some of the highest prices in the country.

However, sewage treatment facilities have not been upgraded and involves a holding tank emptying out onto the bay from dozens of septic tanks.

In 2007, after a public campaign led by local GPs, Kerry County Council signed an €8.7 million contract for the installation of 22kms of water mains for sewerage and water supply.

Two years ago, businesses threatened to withhold rates after they had to resort to bottled water in one of the busiest weekends of the year when e-coli was discovered in the public supply.

Last year, then minister John Gormley approved a €10.6m contract for a proper sewage and water treatment plant for the town. However, while the mains pipes are in place, the treatment plant was not developed.

Ironically, while Waterville is embraced by Blue Flag beaches — Derrynane and Ballinskelligs— its inner bay has consistently failed to reach EU standards.

A recent council meeting was told €50m was needed to bring treatment plans in small towns up to standard in Kerry.

A spokesman for the county council said while it accepted treatment of sewage in the village was at the most basic level, the council also suspected private treatment systems, along with seaweed, as contributory factors to the stench. “We are not convinced the treatment plant is the sole cause,” the spokesman said.