'This is a time bomb which is due to go off'

Concern as Cork water treatment sites fail to meet EU standards

A leading environmental activist has labelled Cork's waste water treatment plants as a “ticking time bomb” after a number of sites failed to meet EU standards.

The report by the Environmental Protection Agency found that mandatory water treatment did not take place at sewage treatment plants in four coastal areas of Cork, including Ringaskiddy where secondary treatment is now 12 years overdue. Both Cobh and Passage West/ Monkstown, which required treatment in 2005, will not be completed until 2014 while waste water treatment at Skibbereen has been delayed for seven years. All the towns failed to meet the minimum requirement under the EU’s urban wastewater treatment directive to provide secondary treatment.

Cork City and Carrigtwohill were also highlighted in the Focus on Urban Waste Water Discharges in Ireland report by the Office of Environment Enforcement as falling short of guidelines relating to discharges in sensitive water areas. The date required for treatment at the two plants, May 31st 2008, has been pushed back until the end of 2014.

Founder of the Friends of the Irish Environment (FIE) Tony Lowes based in Eyeries said, “This is not a new story. We have known for a long time that the situation has been like this- it just hasn’t been addressed,” he said. "The Government just doesn’t want to know how bad it’s after getting,” he said.

Mr Lowes added that there are “no barriers in place” to prevent the spread of water borne disease such as cryptosporidiosis, which he predicted would be “abundant” in the areas that failed to be treated. This disclosure also has implications for tap water safety, as almost 70% of drinking water supply is extracted from groundwater into which the wastewater is discharged. “This is a time bomb which is due to go off,” he said.

In a statement, Cork County Council told the Cork News that it is committed to satisfying the requirements of the Urban Wastewater Directive as soon as possible. “In 2001, the percentage of plants providing full treatment was 29% and this figure rose to 93% in 2009. Since 2009, further progress has been made including the construction new plants in Kinsale and Skibbereen. In the current year, in excess of €21 million will be expended on water services schemes in County Cork,” it read.