Raw sewage flowing through Cork river despite €140m harbour upgrade

Fianna Fáil councillor Seamus McGrath has told a meeting of the Carrigaline Municipal District Council he has personally witnessed sewage flowing into the Owenabue River and knows of other sightings by locals in recent weeks. File picture: Larry Cummins

Irish Water is to be asked why raw sewage is still flowing through a river in Carrigaline, Co Cork, after €140m was spent upgrading wastewater infrastructure in the nearby harbour area.

Fianna Fáil councillor Seamus McGrath has told a meeting of the Carrigaline Municipal District Council he has personally witnessed sewage flowing into the Owenabue River and knows of other sightings by locals in recent weeks.

“This is a continual problem in Carrigaline and this shouldn’t be happening. There is also a continuous smell in Shanbally village which was also supposed to be part of the lower harbour scheme (the Cork Lower Harbour Main Drainage Project). 

"The sewerage treatment issues in the Carrigaline, Shanbally and other areas nearby were supposed to be cleaned up by this multi-million euro scheme and now I have to question its effectiveness,” Mr McGrath said.

He and other councillors criticised Irish Water for not addressing repeated breaks to water mains in the Rochestown area, which have left households and businesses in the lower harbour towns of Passage West and Monkstown without water.

Fine Gael councillor Jack White described it as a “serious issue” while Fine Gael councillor Michael Paul Murtagh wanted to know why there were ongoing water supply issues in Crosshaven.

He said it was no longer acceptable that Irish Water officials occasionally engage with councillors via online meetings and he urged councillors demand they attend in person.

North Cork

Meanwhile, councillors in North Cork are also concerned about delays to flood and sewage schemes which are holding up development in a county town and a village.

Irish Water is planning an upgrade of the sewerage treatment plant in Mitchelstown to see if it can free up some capacity to allow houses to be built in the area.

Fianna Fáil councillor Deirdre O’Brien said the issue was dragging on and the only way the town could develop properly is if a new treatment plant was constructed.

County engineer Kevin Morey said an Irish Water report on potential extra capacity at the current plant is expected to be completed by the end of the year and the council can then look at planning applications for houses to see how many can be approved. 

He said he understood councillors’ frustration with the delay.

He also agreed with their frustration on a flood prevention scheme planned some years ago by the OPW for the village of Rathcormac.

Fianna Fáil councillor William O’Leary said “it has been seven or eight years ago since public consultation was done on it. It is necessary for the future development of Rathcormac”. 

Mr Morey said he had written to the OPW last month seeking an update on a timescale for the project but had not received a reply.