Oughterard sewerage scheme may not deliver as expected

The much-heralded works on the Oughterard Sewerage Scheme may not allow the desired development in the town that was anticipated.

While a new €4.2 million treatment plant was officially opened last week, there remains a problem with the antiquated pipe network that is supporting the town.

While the new treatment plant has been welcomed, there needs to be further works carried out on the pipes that are serving the businesses and houses in Oughterard.

Local councillor Tom Welby told the Connacht Tribune that it is his understanding that works may be carried out on sealing the existing pipes running through the town, which were installed back in the 1950s.

But he expressed disappointment that when planning permission was granted for the plant, it did not include an upgrade on the pipe network through the town.

Cllr Welby explained that while planning was granted for the sewage treatment plant, it did not include an upgrade of the sewerage infrastructure because of environmental issues that were raised at An Bord Pleanála

There are fears locally that while more than €4 million has been spent on a new sewage plant for Oughterard, it may not allow the town to develop as it should into the future.

Some concerns have been expressed that the existing pipe network may not be capable of facilitating some new developments that could be in the pipeline.

But Cllr Welby said that while this may be the case, there are other parts of the town that the existing sewerage system does not serve and this raised separate requirements.

“It is disappointing that we didn’t get a new pipe network in the town, but it is my understanding that much of it can be repaired and this is what I will be pushing for over the coming months.

“The sewerage pipes in Oughterard were installed in the 1950s and obviously need to be upgraded to some extent, but I don’t think that it will halt the future development of the town. What happened last week was a major step forward,” Cllr Welby added.

The existing treatment plant caters for a population of 500 and it was envisaged that the new facility would accommodate around 2,400, but it has emerged that this will not be the case in the immediate future.

Housing schemes that are planned close to the new treatment plant may be able to connect directly, but those further afield may not have a similar luxury.

Irish Water are now being asked to move quickly to upgrade the pipe system in the town in order to accommodate potential new developments.

The previous wastewater treatment plant in Oughterard was originally constructed in the early 1970s. One of the major benefits of this project is that it will improve water quality in the Owenriff River and Lough Corrib, areas of ecological importance as one of the most important freshwater pearl mussel rivers in Ireland.