Flynn demands answers on Newport treatment plant delay
COUNCILLORS in west Mayo are at loggerheads with Uisce Éireann over the delivery of a sewage treatment plant for Newport.
An estimated completion date of 2030 has been given by the utility company, but councillors are unhappy the project was allowed to 'drift' for 10 years, with no indication it was 'on hold'.
And Mayo's new TDs are being asked to demand an explanation as to why this happened.
Councillor Peter Flynn raised the matter at the December Westport-Belmullet Municipal District meeting, outlining how they had held a workshop with Uisce Éireann and received the 2030 completion date.
They were also told they had sent off the application for a foreshore licence in 2022, and it would take three years at least to get that licence.
This was the first written confirmation they had received, said Councillor Flynn, that 'Uisce Éireann were doing nothing' and it was beyond belief that this had been allowed to drift for the best part of 10 years, he said.
Never had they given any indication that Newport had been put on hold, he added.
As councillors, they could 'huff and puff' but they have no jurisdiction over Uisce Éireann.
Councillor Flynn proposed they send the report to the five new Mayo TDs 'and demand an explanation why Uisce Éireann have misled the people of Newport and us as councillors for the last 10 years'.
“It isn't acceptable,” he said. Ten years have been lost on something that should have been dealt with.
Uisce Éireann has issued a report explaining their work on the project to date.
It set out how Newport currently has two historic septic tanks which do not provide effective treatment for the wastewater generated in the town.
They plan to decommission these septic tanks and build a new wastewater treatment plant and a marine outfall for treated wastewater, to ensure that Newport complies with the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive while at the same time allowing the economic growth of the town.
Uisce Éireann's update on the current status of the Newport project explained: 'The Newport waste water treatment plant is currently at Preliminary Business Case (currently Stage 2) where we will develop a short list of solutions, identify the preferred option and calculate an estimated cost.
'As we work through this stage, it should be understood that the planning and consenting process which must be followed to allow us to build this plant has become more complex since UÉ was established. A significant amount of data gathering, surveys and assessments are required to support the various consenting processes. Detailed assessments of existing outfalls, and marine modelling of receiving waters are also now needed to meet planning requirements for projects such as Newport.
'As part of this stage, a licence is required to carry out the surveys needed to develop a marine model. Up until recently, the appropriate licence for this type of work was a foreshore licence. In 2022, Uisce Éireann applied for a foreshore licence to the Foreshore Unit, Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. At that time, foreshore licences took up to three years to approve.
'The Maritime Area Regulatory Authority (MARA) was established in the second half of 2023, replacing the functions of Foreshore Unit. Once MARA was established, Uisce Éireann had to withdraw its foreshore licence application and restart the process with MARA from the beginning, to obtain a new licence, known as a Maritime Usage Licence (MUL) to carry out the necessary survey work.
'Uisce Éireann has had ongoing engagement with MARA since its establishment to understand and prepare a detailed Maritime Usage Licence (MUL) application and supporting technical information. MUL applications require more data and analysis to be provided than the previous foreshore licence process, including environmental screening (appropriate assessment) for survey works, for example.
'We have recently made our MUL submission to MARA. It is our experience, however, that based on several other consent applications UÉ currently has with MARA and our ongoing engagement with them, there is a lack of clarity on how long it will take for the MUL application to be considered and a licence granted.
'Uisce Éireann cannot carry out the survey work to progress to the next stage of the project without a Maritime Usage Licence. Once we are granted a licence and can then carry out the work to complete the preliminary business case we can provide better clarity on the likely timescale for completion of this project, assuming no further unforeseen delays. We will provide a further update to stakeholders once the Maritime Usage Licence is granted.
'A recent submission to the EPA put this project completion date at 2030, with significant caveats around the time it may take to receive the statutory consents required.
'Estimated completion dates for this or any project will be impacted by planning delays, legal challenges, land negotiations, or licencing delays, including an application to MARA for a Marine Area Consent (MAC), which will be required for the operation of the permanent outfall from the proposed Newport wastewater treatment plant.'