Macroom boil water notice still in place for 4,000 homes

WHILE a €21m upgrade of the Macroom Wastewater Treatment Plant is underway, the town still remains on a boil water notice, which is affecting over 4,000 customers.

This is the third notice issued since November of last year and has been an ongoing problem for residents.

The latest boil water notice for those supplied by the Macroom public water supply has been in place since November 1st. It was issued due to a combination of adverse weather and operational issues resulting in elevated levels of turbidity at the Macroom water treatment plant. Uisce Éireann said they are working as quickly as possible to have the notice lifted, in consultation with the HSE.

‘The notice was issued to protect all our customers in the area. We will continue working hard and aim to lift the notice as soon as it is safe to do so,’ said Uisce Éireann’s water operations lead for Co Cork, Niall O’Riordan.

Local Fine Gael councillor Ted Lucey said that the Macroom water treatment plant is due an upgrade sometime next year, which will help alleviate these ongoing problems. A boil water notice for customers supplied by the Donoughmore regional public water supply, which had been in place since October 13th, was lifted earlier this week.

Meanwhile, Uisce Éireann said that once works are completed on the €21m upgrade to the Macroom wastewater treatment plant, the modernised treatment plant will ensure environmental compliance with national and EU regulations, protect water quality in the Sullane River, while also supporting the long-term sustainable growth and development of Macroom.

Uisce Éireann’s infrastructure delivery programme manager Darran O’Leary, said that once the upgrade works have been completed, they will be able to ensure that they can accommodate future growth whilst protecting the environment.

‘The project will also incorporate renewable energy to reduce carbon emissions by incorporating a solar array to supply over 10% of the site’s electricity needs,’ he added.

The work will be carried out by Glanua and is expected to take two years to complete. It will involve decommissioning of the existing plant and its associated structures, construction of a new facility, new inlet works, a stormwater tank, a biological treatment process, a control building, and a solar panel farm.

Cork North West Fine Gael TD Michael Creed welcomed the announcement that works have commenced on the upgrade.

‘It is great news that work has begun. Macroom is thriving and we want the town to continue to grow,’ he said.