At-capacity sewerage system means no new houses for Kanturk until 2028
Suffered From Linehan Dereliction A Street Degree Co Has Recent Kanturk, Cork, In Picture: In Dan Percival High Of Years
Cork county councillors have expressed shock that it appears no new houses can be constructed in Kanturk until 2028 because the town’s sewerage treatment plant is at capacity.
The issue came to light after Uisce Éireann (formerly Irish Water) wrote to a local developer who is trying to create six new ‘infill’ housing units on a particularly derelict street, but was informed that while there was no issue with him getting a water connection, the utility would be unable to connect him to the sewers.
The correspondence between the developer and the utility was raised by Fianna Fáil councillor Bernard Moynihan at a meeting of the Kanturk/Mallow Municipal District Council.
The developer wanted to turn a derelict property in Kanturk's Percival Street into six accommodation units but was informed by Uisce Éireann there are issues with the town's sewerage treatment system.
The utility wrote: "We regret to advise you that while there is adequate capacity within the existing water network to facilitate your connection, your proposed wastewater connection cannot be progressed at this time" as the town’s treatment system is at capacity.
Mr Moynihan said the correspondence shows the utility intends to update the treatment system in 2028.
"So it looks as though no new houses can be built here until then. We’re absolutely crying out for housing in Kanturk. There’s a housing crisis in the country and we can’t build because of this,” Mr Moynihan said.
He said tackling urban dereliction was one of the main targets in Government plans to provide new housing.
Percival Street has suffered from a high degree of dereliction in recent years. Ironically, Mr Moynihan’s brother, TD Michael Moynihan, has one of the few occupied buildings in the street, which he runs as his constituency office.
“This is a very serious situation,” Fine Gael councillor Gerard Murphy said. “I thought a few years ago the plant had been upgraded. We need to contact Uisce Éireann as a matter of urgency.”
As the meeting progressed, Mr Moynihan said the more he was studying the correspondence the more concerned he was getting.
“The more I’m reading the more it doesn’t look like it’s resolvable any time soon,” he said.
The county engineer is to be asked to take the matter up with senior Uisce Éireann officials.