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AN ENTIRE TOWN’s sewage is being piped into a Special Area of Conservation in Galway and may be creating a serious health hazard for locals, an investigation by An Taisce has revealed.
Today the organisation said that it had received a tip-off about the issue and its report details the “unacceptable health and environmental hazard” it has created.
The sewage from Glenamaddy, which has a population of about 700 people, is being piped into Glenamaddy turlough, a type of disappearing lake, just to the east of the town. There it enters a swallow hole which drains the turlough, before re-emerging at Lettera spring some 3.5 km to the west of the town, according to tracer dye studies.
Primitive
An Taisce described the current sewage unit as “primitive” as it has been in place since the 1950s. “It has been a subject of internal discussions within various public authorities for the best part of at least 20 years, yet the hazard continues to this day,” they said.
Galway County Council itself described the unit as “grossly undersized” in an application to the Environmental Protection Agency in 2009 for a licence to regularise the unauthorised discharge in Glenamaddy, warning that it “may currently be significantly impacting on the [Glenamaddy] Turlough and the ground water in the region”.
However, five years on, the situation remains the same and the EPA has yet to take a decision on the council’s application. An Taisce said this presents a “potentially serious threat to drinking and bathing water in the Glenamaddy region” and is also believed to be adversely impacting on the turlough.
Investigation
Turloughs are one of only sixteen so-called “priority habitats” in Ireland. They are almost unique to Ireland and are one of the most strictly protected natural areas.
An Taisce said internal documents reveal that a member of the public complained to the EPA about the sewage in 2012 and Galway County Council carried out a site visit to the turlough, reporting back to the EPA that they could find no sign of the complained of discharge.
“Yet the primitive sewage unit was only a few metres from where the Council looked and carries prominent Galway County Council signage”, the organisation said today. ” Moreover it is the subject of regular maintenance work by the council and had been the subject of a licence application by the Council to the EPA itself some three years earlier.”
Policy Director at An Taisce, James Nix said several public bodies “have a lot to answer for”.
“There is a very urgent need for this issue to finally be taken seriously and addressed,” he said. “The people of Galway deserve much better than this. Their health and their environment must be safeguarded immediately – this illegal situation cannot go on.”
A formal request for action has now been launched with the EPA.
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Jaysus that’s fairly grim viewing
Big tom would defiantly turn over
20 years they know about it ffs what type of apes are running the country.
Despite the fact that it never seems to stop raining in Galway they don’t seem to be much good at handling water. Between the city having to drink bottled water for several weeks because their water supply was polluted to this mess up, sort it out Galway!
Oh shit
He thinks thats a problem, in Belmullet Co Mayo raw sewage is flowing into the bays and inlets with over fifty years.
It is a problem throughout the country and one that has been ignored by government and local authorities for far too long. Investment has not been made in this area for far too long and far too many WWTP are not fit for purpose.
After some consideration, I am grateful that I’m being fleeced for all the new and upgraded water treatment plants(sewage) required by the EU over the next decade. This despite the fact that a massive charge by the councils and Govt.(stamp duty and local building charges) was imposed upon new builds to aid in the construction of these essential infrastructures. The funding raised has gone to much more deserving areas of the community, Shiny new council HQs, foreign fact finding missions, duplication of services are just a few ways to spend tax dollars without regard to those you SERVE. (just how many councils and councillors, chief fire officers, overlapping quangos does a small country actually need?)
Get the facts all u so called envoiramentalists before u go commenting on things .in 1995 kelly wrote a report on this problem .in 2009 and 2010 EPA has reports .in the quirke report 2012 the good people in that area who were being harassed by npws and planes and helicopters and being attacked by there own state forces for cutting a few sods of turf brought it to the attention of justice quirke.i myself have talked about the way people in rural ireland are being treated and the know all envoiramentalists wouldn’t listen .it was brought up at meetings and radio tv but nobody gave a shite.they rather call turfcutters criminals.now the state is aware sence 1995 the npws new and NGO s knew but they turned a blind eye.in august 2013 in a debate in tv3 it came up .we have highlighted the injustice being done to turfcutters at all times and we are the guardians of rural ireland not some people in cork or dub mouthing off on twitter and still living lives we could only dream of..glenamaddy Needs a new sewerage system but don’t blame the council in Galway as if ye understand anything for projects like this it’s dep of env that gives funding .the town needs a new sewer so business can set up but sure I forgot some of ye want rural ireland a theme park that ye can go out at weekends in yer SUV s.ye rather blame farmers and anyone or everyone the guardians and turn blind eye to state .tell big Phil to release money to sort this problem but ye all have allowed him to take property tax to give to Irish water and cripple co councils to pay back the Europe ye love that’s shafting us all.this story is old news but has now once again being highlighted by an taisce.the tcca is on record highlighting this and EPA npws and every body ignored or turned a blind eye.give glenamaddy a new sewer system and let’s get jobs there to bring our kids home instead of skypeing and build our economy
I’llmake an assumption that lack of funding will be cited as excuse for delayed modernization, but no lack of funding for overpaid council officials and their inflated pensions. Just guessing!
There was 4,300 public servants that were employed to look after the water supply and half are over 50 and now we see that they have been doing nothing all these years just watching sewage flow out untreated, less for them to do, they don’t care.
How to you get 4,300 public servants to move to a semi-state company with out 1 complaint, the answer is give them 2 pensions, Full state pension and a Irish Water pension.
Completely agree. Ironically if some poor lad was starting a business these plonkers would be all over them like a rash and my comment is aimed at an taisce and the EPA, only purpose for both is to be add red tape instead of making decisions… Both should be disbanded…
What have the EPA been doing with the application for five years?? They don’t sound too efficient!
Pity Fianna Fail are no longer in power, they’d have that ugly natural habitat nicely concreted over by now and 200 apartments built on it.
… with their local party ‘fixer’ transformed into a Property Developer, courtesy of Fianna Fail’s private bank providing all funds required, paperwork optional.
How the fúck has this unhealthy practice been allowed to continue for so long?
Those councillors who promoted development in every 1 horse hamlet around the country have a lot to answer for!
Bring in the Consultants.
I swear to Christ, only in Ireland. €180 million to set up a quango called Irish Water and at the same time we pump raw sewerage into a protected area and contaminate the ground water. We are a Fooking disgrace as a nation, I’m sick of it.
Well done to An Taisce, yet again it is an environmental charity with a tiny staff base and volunteers that manage to expose this issue. A lot of work went into this report if you read through it, a lot of hours spent trying to access information from Galway County Council, EPA and NPWS via FOI. An Taisce also took the time to visit the site and take photos. We are lucky to have a group like An Taisce who really work for the benefit of the greater good.
Not quite. An Taisce is somewhat selective in its choice of causes and is prepared to fully co-operate with the Blue Flag scam, regardless of the fact that some beaches are subject to sewage discharges similar to the ones in this story.
Have you evidence to support this claim? If you do have evidence have you spoken to An Taisce about it? How is an environmental charity like An Taisce supposed to cover everything on its own? Why is there no responsibility taken by people in the areas where this is occurring? I think you will find An Taisce is stretched to its limits and has to select what it pursues!
Em! Fair play to An Taisce?? How about fair play to Michael Fitzmaurice of the TCCA for informing Andrew Jackson back in August last year but don’t let that stop you from giving false praise to An Taisce! Joke!
What did Michael Fitzmaurice do about issue or indeed any of the TCCA? Did they apply for documents under Access to Information? How do you attribute tip off to Fitzmaurice, do An Taisce credit him for it? Also why if you knew about this issue weren’t you out taking photos and making phone calls etc.? An Taisce are a charity and yet they invested time and effort in bringing this issue out in the open when they got tip-off. TCCA are a joke, all they did was mention it so they could try to use it as example of supposed unfairness of conserving our SAC raised bogs. I’ll praise the TCCA when they actually do something positive for the environment and encourage people to obey planning and environmental laws.
They did do something positive, they informed An Taisce. Love the term ‘tip off’ used, TCCA was the tip off! Informing them of the pollution is pretty damn good for the environment and indeed the people who’s water is no doubt been affected by this disgrace but don’t let that stop you from your constant negativity towards the TCCA.
Took them long enough to bring it out in the open…only 5 months…please!
Hey listen lady, you might stop to examine your own conscience before you start shooting your mouth off here.
The TCCA is not credited as the source are they? Saying something and doing something is a whole other thing you know. 5 months for a small staff who are working on 100′s of projects is pretty damn good particularly when you read the report (have you?) and realise the amount of effort they had to go to to get the information. Have you ever actually made a request under FOI? If so then you would know it ain’t a simple or speedy process.
Again if the TCCA knew about this then why didn’t they act on it? Why is it down to the much maligned An Taisce to do the dirty work? You are quick enough to criticise An Taisce so why expect them to do this work for you? You’re a gas woman altogether you know.
Hey listen lady yourself! They told plenty of people, An Taisce are all things environmental, this has been going on since 1997, highlighted in 2009 and again in 2012. It took Michael Fitzmaurice to finally get An Taisce to sit up and investigate. Only so much handholding one can do. We weren’t the ones turning a blind eye.
@ The Roaring Green
You describe something that’s not fit for its purpose, yet you fully support it. Just because incompetence is one of our strongest traditions on this island, that isn’t actually a good reason to preserve it in every aspect of our lives. Let us move on.
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha Michael Fitzmaurice may/may not have mentioned it to An Taisce who then, an underfunded charity, did all the hard graft and you want to take credit?
An Taisce are a CHARITY who are heavily overburdened by the amount of planning and environmental infringements happening in Ireland. Why if you/locals have known about this since 1997 have you/locals/TCCA not a) raised this yourselves & done what An Taisce have now done? b) worked with An Taisce or other organisation to produce same result? c) gotten local councillor or TD to investigate? Too easy to pass the buck all the time, are you even a member of An Taisce? Have you ever donated to support the charity who relies on membership to do all this work? If you are a member then fair play but if not, why not when you seem to expect them to assume responsibility for everything and anything.
Also if the TCCA/locals/you are so concerned about environmental matters why do you persist in draining, cutting and burning a protected wetland habitat? Kind of funny you going on about pollution when you are destroying wetlands which help to maintain water quality and help prevent flooding. Ah well, none so blind and all that…..
What am I supporting that isn’t fit for purpose? I asked you for a link to evidence supporting your claim? I’m not very familiar with the Blue Flag scheme so would like to see what exactly you meant. i absolutely agree about incompetence but feel that people are missing the point here which is an environmental charity is the one to bring this issue out in open when apparently so many others knew about this. Where were local TDS & councillors if people knew this was happening for so long?
Did you yourself not read the report in 2012, did you inform An Taisce then? Having a go at Michael Fitzmaurice because he informed Andrew Jackson back in August is a bit rich!
Sorry what 2012 report was I supposed to read? Where is this report picturing the situation at Glenamaddy? Please do provide evidence. I’m unaware of ever speaking to you about any 2012 report.
Why didn’t the TCCA launch an investigation, spend time researching it, contact relevant bodies and publish a report on this issue if it has known about this for so long? An Taisce were informed about it by someone (we don’t know who), they did their homework (which can take a while to do properly) and now they have produced a report. Well done to An Taisce for again highlighting the the consequences of bad planning and a lack of forward thinking. Also the TCCA are guilty themselves of promoting water pollution via run off from harvesting of peat from bogs. So I guess they need to change their tune on that fron than getting on their high bog pony.
So I guess they need to change their tune on that front before getting on their high bog pony.
Yes, how about the TCCA takes over from An Taisce and maybe then something will be done, as it took them to actually highlight the issue. Great idea as an Taisce don’t appear to be able to keep up. Maybe They need more volunteers.
Apologies but you claimed on Twitter 3 hours ago that you did read it. I’m sure if you did you would have reported it to AT.
Hmm I don’t think that an organisation like the TCCA whose remit included continuing destruction of protected habitats and water pollution would be a very good environmental watchdog. I think An Taisce and other ENGOs do an excellent job despite the lack of funding for environmental organisations in Ireland.
Sorry can you not reference the 2012 report? When did I ever discuss reading a 2012 report with you? I’ve had you blocked on Twitter for at least a year so not as if you’ll be seeing any tweets where I may have discussed reading any report unless………….
An Taisce always need volunteers so maybe you should actually volunteer instead of just mouthing off? Why didn’t the TCCA produce this report if they were supposedly so aware of it? Or maybe they were only highlighting it in an attempt to justify their support of damage to other SACs?? Keep telling yourself that the TCCA are responsible for highlighting this issue and maybe you can keep ignoring the hypocrisy of such a claim particularly in light of their stance on illegal turf cutting on protected bogs
What did I read please? Can you provide a link to this 2012 report (what report?) which provides information on the extent of the issue as An Taisce have done today? Links please.
Again I ask how do you know what I’m saying on Twitter, I blocked you long ago and have never engaged with you knowingly on Twitter.
Blocked? For what, not having same opinion as you. Very mature.
I’m perfectly entitled to block you and it has nothing to do with opinions and more to do with personal choice. I follow and am followed by lots of people who I don’t agree with including Deputy Luke Flanagan. Now again please explain how you know anything about my tweets and where this 2012 report on Glenamaddy, that I didn’t discuss with you, is located. Links and references please?
Get ur facts right u fundamilist envoirmalimist .read read read the reports that stated where turf not cut the arb decreased drastically example lough forbes and when u have that report read look at liosnageeragh where turf cut every year and arb it increased by 149% and not too long ago some of us were contacted by third party’s where some people played the old sad game .ive enough of ur s…..te so don’t bother us descent rural ireland self sufficant people when the going gets tough
Galway council is primitive, after Botulism and Dysentery, I imagine cholera is next on their 2 steps backwards.
The Plague is next on their ol’-timey disease check list!
I say that central gov is where funding is required.Everyone blames council but it’s dep of env that has to supply funding.the state go after the small prey but they do what they want themselves .europe is in koohoots to steal our resources with the elete .time we stood up for our rights
Wasn’t it Galway that had the crypto-whassisname in the water? Poisoning all the tourists etc??
Looks like a track record is being formed.
Irony is we will be getting shit for water – though we won’t be allowed water for shit :-)
Four sewers that drain away , winding to the town of glenamaddy……..
DECLAN MOFFITGLENAMADDYBESCHTALUCK!
can we not have day without corruption greed and scandal. What has this country become ?.
Luke ‘Darth Vader’ Flanagan, Michael Fitzmaurice and the Turf Cutters and Contractors Association have proven time and time again that they have no interest in the environment or in safeguarding our rarest habitats and wildlife. They are only interested in safeguarding the income of turf cutting contractors.
Their mentioning the Glenamaddy incident was only to argue that local authorities were getting away with illegally damaging protected areas so why shouldn’t people cutting turf on protected raised bogs be left get away with that too? They had no interest in investigating the polluting of the turlough by the council or having it stopped. Their only concern was that they too should be allowed to continue damaging the environment and destroying the raised bog SACs.
Perhaps, if this pollution were happening in his own constituency, Mr. Flanagan MIGHT have investigated it as it may have won him a few more votes at the next election but, as there were no votes in it for him, why would he bother?
Also, maybe Michael Fitzmaurice is now claiming the credit for informing An Taisce of the issue as he has now announced his intention to run for a seat in the local elections in Galway in May?
Cynical? I don’t think so. Mr. Fitzmaurice has been well advised on local politics by Mr. Flanagan.
I see the call to arms has been issued. If it was anyone else who highlighted this issue, you would all be full of praise for them but because it was TCCA is sticks in all your throats! Truth is there for all to see. Doth protest too much and it’s pretty pathetic when some of you resort to personal attacks. Shows you all up for what you really are about. Same old same old! Good day, have fun spinning your web of lies. :)
Call to arms? Hmmmm what exactly do you mean by that?
As for spinning lies, again I ask where is the report from 2012 that I never discussed reading with you? Again Iast how you are following my tweets when I have blocked you and never knowingly engaged with you on Twitter?
@selfsustainable it was you who bought up the TCCA in the first place. The TCCA never publically highlighted this issue and I’m sure if they had contacted an Taisce 3 yrs ago or 10 yrs ago about it, then they would have investigated it. What personal attacks? I don’t think criticising the hypocritical behaviour of the TCCA on this matter is a personal attack.
Sorry Daniel but you are wrong. Fact is the TCCA did make this public two years ago in a very public place. The peatland lands forum held in Athlone, chaired by Justice Quirke. The public submission was made from the floor on 29th feb 2012, that’s two years ago. The NGOs were all in attendance and never raised an eyebrow. Prior to that a TCCA committee gave detailed reports to the Peatlands council hoping for action. Local community groups have been fighting since 2002 to have this stopped. Hopefully a little media attention will end this scandal, but I doubt it.
Hi Tom,
Could you provide some evidence for this statement? Is it mentioned in the Quirke report? An Taisce were not allowed to take part in private bog committee sessions where this was supposed to have been mentioned. The fact is An Taisce have acted on it as best as they can and as quickly as they could when they were told about it. If the local community have been campaigning about this since 2002 then it is terrible that it was not acted on by county council, EPA and NPWS. The TCCA highlighting this does not take away from the fact that they are promoting activities on bogs that contribute towards water pollution.
+one thing u forgot to clarify tom was the ngos didnt even bother turn up at the forum they sent a video while everyone else stayed there three days .now we see the bogs there the guardians of and have the so called expertese havent a square inch of active raised bog habitat in there own reports and how much money have these so called experts or drs got ?
every bog comittee gave a detailed ac that was written and recorded and there for everyone but the so called envoirmalists did not bother turn up .it shows ye are mouthing off and havent read a report to educate urselves
Hi Michael,
This isn’t a rural V urban issue. I grew up on a small farm, Ich bin ein culchie. This is about responsible planning and the enforcement of environmental law, whether it have t do with turf cutting on protected bogs (and unprotected bogs actually) or with the pumping of raw sewage into a turlough. Given the amount of airtime the TCCA gets, I’m surprised that you are only vocal about the pollution of this site now that an environmental group has exposed it if you have been aware of it for some time. The Irish Peatland Conservation Council have been actively involved in the Peatland Council and do indeed own areas of raised bog and blanket bog f or protection, so you are wrong on that front. Sadly the TCCA have disengaged from the Peatlands Council, so cannot make a meaningful contribution to sorting out this issue. I call on you to go back onto the council and be part of the solution, not sitting on the sidelines.
Daniel, it is referred to on pages 58 and 59 of the Quirke Report. An taisce did not have to be part of the private sessions, this was detailed in the PUBLIC session, for all to hear.
Hi Tom,
The only detail in the Quirke report is that pollution is listed as a concern at Loughlurgeen bog. There is no detail as to what the pollution was and the extent of it. It also states “The issue of pollution has been raised by NPWS with the County Council.” So from this report it would appear that state authorities were dealing with it but obviously they did not, which is terrible. However, to now attack An Taisce for highlighting the extent of the pollution in a report and to get welcome media coverage is disappointing and unfair.
Daniel, in fairness I was rebutting your earlier claim that the TCCA had “never publically highlighted this issue”. I referred you to the Peatlands forum two years. Then I responded to your request if it was mentioned in the Quirke Report. I gave you the page numbers in that report. If an taisce were listening to the people at that forum two years ago they would clearly have heard the calls for action back then. It’s just getting the facts straight, I welcome any coverage this scandal gets.
Hi Tom,
Well from reading the Quirke report it would appear that the matter was being dealt with. However, if it wasn’t, then I would ask why the local community didn’t directly ask An Taisce for their help on this? Did this happen?
Well Daniel my point is that an taisce missed it at the Peatlands forum two years ago as raised by the TCCA, and that it isn’t today or yesterday it has been raised. Let’s not get carried away with today’s document, it’s not like we have a treatment plant built today. Most likely nothing will come of this either so let’s not get too excited about the future prospects of resolving this issue.
Daniel read the last bog survey and see what it says about the bogs u talk about .the peatlands council in my view is a Sham .Didnt three of there members last week say that they were not consulted about the new(plan) and we don’t believe being involved in talking shops going nowhere and we do not draw expenses but this cannot be said for othersand we don’t believe in taxpayers paying for shams .we have put constructive proposals fordward and what has been done sence Awnser nothing -this could have been sorted with our document but no bog has been sorted sence.be clear on this .its our land and the more ur likes don’t understand the problem and the more u cast agate turf cutters the further u will see a solution .ye personalise everything and I don’t go on sites much as I’ve more to do but the stuff ye say to the good honourable hardworking people is not called for and by the way I did not make it urban or rural there are great Irish people everywhere in ireland but there are some that don’t know what ireland means to them.
Me fitmaurice highlighted this five years ago and any body that knows me is aware that ima realist with no ego and not a fundamental envoirmalist and I believe in heritage tradition and property rights and when u get an acre or buy it do what ever u want with it but don’t come on here telling good real Irish people what to do
Michael. I have a small farm. Should I be able to spread as much fertiliser/slurry as I want irrespective of the Nitrates Directive? Should I be able to to level as many hedgerows as I want?
(Adopts Joan Burton falsetto voice) Somebody think of Decan!!!!!
Water meters coming near a sewage site near you soon!!…
I wonder will they get a discount from Irish water?
God i would hate to live down the country or anywhere else than Dublin
Because of go****** like you
Hope God comes online and responds .
God! I would hate to live in Dublin!!
(or London, come to that)
Graham you couldn’t afford to live a decent live in Dublin or London that’s why you hate it
Sh1te in a bucket.
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