Warning issued over sewage proposal
Dublin People 22 Oct 2011
A
LOCAL TD has warned that proposals for a sewage treatment plant in north county
Dublin could have a negative impact on Portmarnock beach and dunes as well as
Baldoyle estuary.
However,
the Greater Dublin Drainage Project insist that the plant would have a positive
impact on the environment.
Fingal
County Council published a report recently, identifying nine potential land
parcels in the northern part of the Greater Dublin Area for further
investigation as possible locations for the new plant, along with a marine
outfall and orbital drainage system.
The
new infrastructure is needed to provide sustainable and reliable drainage and
wastewater treatment for the Greater Dublin Area to meet current and future
economic, industrial and residential demands.
It’s
also needed both to protect the environment and to meet the high water quality
standards set by the EU Water Framework Directive.
The
new plant will cater for wastewater for an estimated 700,000 people with the
majority coming from the Fingal County Council area. Two of the identified
sites are at Cloghran and Clonshaugh.
Dublin
North East TD Sean Kenny (Lab) told Northside People:
“The coast at Portmarnock
and Baldoyle is something that is being looked at for the marine outfall
specifically at Baldoyle estuary and off the Velvet Strand.
“I
have had further clarification from the consultants about this. They have
stated that given the nature reserves and designations, such an outfall would
have to be done via a tunnel under the Baldoyle Estuary and Portmarnock dunes
out a distance of 8km beyond Ireland’s Eye.
“The
dunes and beach at Portmarnock is a specially protected area and this plant
could have a negative effect.
“The
treatment plant will deal with the sewage but there will be a percentage of
outfall that goes out to sea.
?
Deputy
Kenny added:
“The outfall should be moved as far out to sea as possible and far
away from amenity areas such as Portmarnock beach and dunes and Baldoyle
Estuary, which is a bird sanctuary.
?
Peter
O’Reilly, project engineer for the Greater Dublin Drainage Project, told Northside
People:
“The proposed new regional wastewater plant will have a very positive
impact on the environment.
“The
plant will be approximately a quarter the size of the wastewater treatment
works at Ringsend and will provide a very high standard of wastewater
treatment.
Mr
O’Reilly said the new plant would be a regional one with most of the wastewater
coming from the Fingal area.
“It
will be next year before a final location is chosen,
? he stated.
Mr
O’Reilly has invited people to attend one of four open days taking place at
Fingal County Council’s headquarters in Swords.
The
first open day took place last Saturday (October 22) and the other three will
take place on Wednesday, October 26 from 2pm to 8pm; Thursday November 3, from
2pm to 8pm; and Saturday, November 5 from 11am to 4pm.
“The
project team will be there on each of the four open days to meet members of the
public, listen to their views about the project and answer questions on it,
?
added Mr O’Reilly.
Meanwhile,
Deputy Kenny has urged residents to engage in the public consultation process
at an early stage and not wait until a final decision has been made.
People
can also email their queries to info@greaterdublindrainage.ie and contact the
project team on 1890-445567.
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