Lack of investment by Irish Water is stifling growth in Tipperary's ...

Independent Cllr Máirín McGrath said Uisce Éireann is failing to see the urgency in the need to deliver wastewater treatment plants and additional capacity in many areas.

Several towns and villages in Tipperary have no capacity in their wastewater treatment plants, with no plan from Uisce Éireann on how to address it, citing environmental and developmental implications to these delays, according to the Newcastle based Councillor.

“As a society we are increasingly conscious of the importance of clean water that is free from pollution but as it stands we have raw sewage entering the River Suir due to pressures on the existing septic tank system in Newcastle village,” said Cllr McGrath. “If this was as a result of agricultural activity, the farmers responsible would receive a fine.”

In 2020, Uisce Eireann published a Small Towns and Villages for Growth Programme as part of their 2020-24 Capital Investment Plan which had up to eight Tipperary settlements included for priority upgrades of their wastewater treatment systems.

“Newcastle Village was one of these villages that had been earmarked for an upgrade. However to date, there has been little effort made by Uisce Éireann progressing this essential upgrade despite it being highlighted by the elected representative on many occasions. Golden is another village along the River Suir that faces the same fate,” she said.

“Uisce Eireann’s own wastewater treatment capacity register for 2023 flags Newcastle as a warning red, stating there is no spare capacity for waste water connections within the village system.

“In addition to the environmental concerns, it also puts a halt to development potential across the village as there is little chance of getting permission with a ‘Red Flag’ capacity warning on our treatment plant. This is yet another example of Irish Water’s inability to provide basic services or essential upgrades.

“Since its establishment, and the removal of water services from the Local Authority, Newcastle, Golden and other villages who are longing for investment become ‘a small fish in a much bigger pond’ because it is competing with settlements across the country to secure funding and progress with the infrastructural upgrade,” said the Independent Councillor.

Councillor McGrath stressed that any potential housing projects in settlements which are stuck in this situation will struggle to get planning permission due to wastewater treatment plants’ capacity issues.

“This is yet another unnecessary barrier to construction and development in the midst of a housing crisis. In a time when we are promoting the natural assets of our areas, such as the Suir Blueway, it becomes increasingly frustrating that my constant calls for progress in addressing the issue of raw sewage entering our waterways continuously fall on the deaf ears of Uisce Éireann,” concluded Cllr McGrath.