Resolution in sight to odour issue at Mayo treatment plant

THERE'S hopefully a resolution in the air to an ongoing pong problem emanating from the sewage treatment plant in Castlebar.

The foul odour from the wastewater treatment plant has intensified recently, with residents along the Oaks, Oakview, Turlough Road, Rowan Drive and Springfield areas reporting severe conditions.

Their concerns were raised at a municipal district meeting by Councillor Ger Deere, along with issues around smells and fumes at Aghaluskey and Roadstone.

His colleague Councillor Harry Barrett had some good news for the meeting.

The EPA inspected the plant on Tuesday last and in an inspector's interim report, Uisce Éireann said a heat exchanger had broken down in February, worth €100,000. It was refurbished and reinstalled, and then fans broke down, after which there was an issue with cabinet housing equipment.

All these issues were now sorted, the report said, and Uisce Éireann had been pressed for a long-term plan going forward. They said they would provide training and equipment to monitor smells.

The full report would be posted on the EPA's website within the month.

Councillor Deere said it was good news, but this issue had been highlighted long before February and he hoped they weren't being fobbed off.