In September Uisce Éireann, which is responsible for the public wastewater treatment plant at Shannonvale, was fined for discharging wastewater into the village’s public park. The park has been closed for the past 27 years due to sewage leaking into it.

The case initiated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) related to two incidents at Shannonvale Park in September 2024. Uisce Éireann entered guilty pleas under the Wastewater Discharge (Authorisation) Regulations 2007 at the Dublin Metropolitan District Court and was fined €4,000.

Locals in the village near Clonakilty have long campaigned for action on the issue, saying ongoing sewage leaks from a failing treatment unit have not only led to the village’s park being closed since 1998 but also contaminate the Argideen River close to the Jones Bridge Water Treatment Plant, which supplies drinking water to thousands of people.

In a motion at this week’s meeting of the West Cork Municipal District, Cllr Daniel Sexton called on Cork County Council to write to the EPA requesting that it uses its full enforcement powers to compel Uisce Eireann to resolve the problem.

“We need to put pressure on the EPA to get a bit of action. I was up there yesterday, I could see black dirty sludge sitting inside of where a children’s play park was. My major concern here is what it means for our water. We have a very big townland and there’s more than just Clonakilty feeding out of that area. I think it’s actually a health risk,” Cllr Sexton said.

“The chemicals and additives that are put into this water to bring it back to the quality is the worrying side of things here. I would advise anyone in Clonakilty not to drink that water, to be honest with you. I know it’s a strong statement to make, but have one smell off it. I know someone’s dog that wouldn’t drink it. If a dog knows about it, Jesus, that’s enough.”

Cllr Joe Carroll agreed. “I honestly think this is an outrage, to think this is going into the river a short distance away from the intake for the Clonakilty water supply. Uisce Eireann should be in court every day of the week until something is done about it. It’s more than disgraceful, it’s outrageous and it shouldn’t be allowed to carry on,” he said.

Cllr Carroll said he raised the issue directly with Uisce Eireann at a conference several years ago. “We gave them hell over it, that it was an absolute disgrace that they were allowed that carry-on. They said they were taking it back to have it discussed. We never heard from them after.”

Cllr Isobel Towse called for a timeline for the recent announcement that funding has been allocated to develop plans to establish a pumping station in Shannonvale that will connect up to the Clonakilty wastewater network.

“People think that it’s done now, sorted, but there’s been no action. So we need a timeline and a detailed plan of what the funding will apply for. And on the quality of the water, you can only imagine the amount of chlorine going into it to counteract the levels of bacteria from the site,” she said.

The council agreed to write to the EPA about the issue.

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.