Locals claim sewage is floating in Ring harbour

GROWING concerns about raw sewage floating around Ring Harbour have led residents to call on Uisce Éireann (Irish Water) to investigate.

Some locals have even resorted to posting pictures on social media in recent weeks to highlight the worrying situation in the harbour, and claim that sewage was released into the bay on or around August 30th.

Ellen O’Donovan posted online that it’s a ‘permanent problem for Ring and that all the sewage and flooding comes down from Clonakilty’. She also posted a picture on the new line from September 25th last which appears to show some sort of sewage in the water.

Kenneth Santry posted, claiming the relatively new waste water treatment plant in Clonakilty was ‘already outdated’ and couldn’t cope with the volume.

Locals have also been asked to share any pictures or videos of raw sewage that they encounter in preparation for a meeting with Uisce ?ireann officials.

Speaking to The Southern Star, Cork South West TD Christopher O’Sullivan confirmed that he has arranged for a delegation from Ring to meet with officials from Uisce Éireann to discuss ongoing issues with sewage floating in Ring Harbour.

‘I want these officials to hear first-hand what locals are seeing and what’s happening. There have been videos circulating of what looks like sewage, so we need confirmation from Uisce ?ireann what is exactly happening and what is being done to solve this,’ said Deputy O’Sullivan.

‘Locals in the area need clarification on this and assurances that this won’t happen again,’ he added.

A spokesperson for Uisce ?ireann said that the Clonakilty wastewater treatment plant is operating as designed ‘with no reports of any issues or storm overflows’.

They said the concerns were brought to their attention in August and September but there were no issues with the operation of the wastewater treatment plant.

Meanwhile, Cllr Paul Hayes (Ind) said it’s a nasty situation in Clonakilty Bay also where there is a ‘desperate stench’ in the area. He said he has bought it up at various Council meetings but so far nothing has improved.

‘All certainly isn’t right, and those working in the Model Railway Village next to the wastewater treatment plant have to put up with awful odours, with some of them forced to leave due to nausea and suffering headaches,’ said Cllr Hayes.

‘With the construction of the multi-million wastewater treatment plant we thought those days were over. We were told that the new system would be able to provide for triple of what Clonakilty’s population is, but perhaps it’s overwhelming the system.’