Local residents say sewage is being pumped into Swords rivers

Residents of Knocksedan Demesne in Swords have complained of a sewage overflow into the local river.

Local resident Pauline Lougheed told Northside People that the continuing expansion of the housing estate has put pressure on local sewage supplies, and adequate infrastructure is not being put in place.

As a result of the outdated pumping station, which residents were told was supposed to be “temporary” and has proven to be anything but, sewage is flowing into the local Ward River, Usher’s Lake, and onwards.

“This is a beautiful area of woodland,river and lake and is used by dog walkers, fishing enthusiasts and It is the only pedestrian route to local schools and Swords Village,” she said.

Lougheed said the sewage overflow isn’t a new thing, saying this has always occurred in the 22 years she has been living in the area, but the issue has become “unbearable” in recent times.

“This pumping station was supposed to be a temporary solution, and we have been promised on multiple occasions that it will be replaced,” Loughsheed said.

Loughsheed said that Fingal County Council’s standards during the ordeal have been sub-standard.

Loughsheed said she sent multiple emails and rang Fingal County Council on numerous occasions, and alleges she received no response.

She then relayed that when she got in touch with local TD and Minister for the Environment Darragh O’Brien by email, progress began to happen on the issue.  

Loughsheed said it shouldn’t have taken the intervention of a local government minister before the situation began to be rectified.

“I requested this months ago, and I have yet to receive a written response from Fingal County Council as to how they plan to stop this environmental issue from continuing. “

She said that she and other local residents attempted to raise the issue with local TDs, with Sinn Féin TD Ann Graves also being made aware and attempting to rectify the issue, but Fingal County Council’s response was lacking.

“Fingal County Council recently put stone paths in to make the area more usable as the only pedestrian route.  It is definitely not accessible to all, but now some of the paths have been washed away by sewage,” she explained, and that there are no long-term solutions to prevent sewage from flowing into the local waterways.