‘Unquantified amounts’ of raw sewage flowing to Galway Bay

From this week’s Galway City Tribune – Unquantified amounts of raw sewage will continue to flow into the sea at Long Walk until next year at least, the authorities have conceded.

Irish Water (IW) and Galway City Council confirmed they plan to install a sensor at the outfall, which takes all of the foul sewage from the east side of the city and Oranmore.

This will measure the amount of sewage flowing into the bay, and the frequency of ‘overflow events’.

They also plan to repair a leak in the overflow pipe “early next year”.

“It is envisaged that these works will reduce the frequency of the overflows in the future and the event monitor will enable us to quantify the activation of this chamber,” the City Council said.

Remedial works were carried out by contractors for the local authority and IW in June of this year when a new tide-flex valve was fitted, which prevents tidal water entering while allowing flows from the chamber.

This followed surveys and inspections in June and November last year. But the problem of raw sewage flowing into the city’s most picturesque area persists.

The issue – highlighted in the Galway City Tribune on a number of occasions – came to the fore again this week after drone footage was shared online showing sewage flowing out into the Corrib.

This is a shortened preview version of this article. To read the rest of the story, see this week’s Galway City Tribune. You can buy a digital edition HERE.