Residents expected wider access to new wastewater treatment plant in North Leitrim

There was confusion at a meeting of Manorhamilton Municipal District over the intended scope and purpose of a new wastewater treatment facility in North Leitrim.

Cllr Justin Warnock asked when the remaining premises in Rossinver, including the community centre and Ballaghameehan National School, would be connected to the wastewater treatment plant, stating that this is essential for improving water quality in Lough Melvin and future-proofing the school.

Earlier this year, almost €21 million in PEACEPLUS funding was awarded for water quality and catchment management projects. Of this, more than €5 million was allocated to improving water quality in four cross-border water catchments, including Lough Melvin, Upper and Lower Lough MacNean, the Cladagh River and the Kilroosky Lake Cluster. This allocation also took into account the installation of a pilot wastewater treatment facility in Rossinver.

A Council response explained that the wastewater project was funded specifically to address an existing issue at a Council-owned housing estate, with the funding not facilitating the addition of further connections within Rossinver.

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Cllr Warnock expressed his disappointment with the response, noting that Rossinver residents believed they were going to be connected to the facility, and added that the whole point of the PEACEPLUS funding is about improving water quality.

Director of Services Vincent Dwyer stressed that the allocation was intended to deal with a specific problem the Council was experiencing as the owner of the estate. “The plan is to pick up another three or four houses in the vicinity but we were never going to be able to expand more than that,” said Mr Dwyer.

He also said that the provision of wastewater infrastructure is primarily a matter for Uisce Éireann. He further noted that, in the initial stages, the Council examined whether there was “potential” to connect more of Rossinver to the scheme but found that there was not.

“It was never on the cards to provide a sewage system to the rest of Rossinver,” he added.

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Cllr Warnock argued that the letters of support received at the time were largely based on an understanding that more of Rossinver would be connected to the wastewater treatment plant.

Mr Dwyer confirmed that the letters of support would be reviewed again, but reiterated that responsibility beyond the Council-owned housing estate ultimately lies with Uisce Éireann.