A judge has described as extraordinary the fact that almost two thirds of a Co Cork town’s raw sewage is still being pumped directly into the local harbour.
Irish Water received fines totalling €9,000 and was ordered to pay costs in three prosecutions by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that came before Dublin District Court on Tuesday.
The company pleaded guilty to breaching surface water and waste water discharge regulations at three popular tourist destinations.
The prosecution was brought after Irish Water failed to carry out improvements at Castletownbere and Castletownshend in Co Cork and at Kilfenora in the Burren, Co Clare.
It had been granted a two-year "grace period" by the EPA to get the necessary work done, prosecution solicitor Maeve Larkin told the court.
Judge John Brennan said there were "grave concerns" about the two Co Cork towns and it was "extraordinary" that in 2018 raw sewage was being pumped into the sea there.
EPA inspector Patrick Chan told Judge Brennan that Castletownbere had a population of about 1,300. Four septic tanks take 36 per cent of waste water. He agreed with Ms Larkin that the remainder, 64 per cent, was untreated and carried by a pipe and discharged directly into the town's harbour.
Raw
The court heard that oysters from the harbour which were usually eaten raw had to undergo further treatment before they could be consumed.
Irish Water was supposed to build a treatment plant but it will not be completed until 2021, the court heard.
Mr Chan said he lifted a manhole and could clearly see human waste travelling out into the harbour untreated.
He agreed with defence counsel Eoghan Cole that there was no negative microbiological impact and Irish Water was working with other stakeholders to work out ways it should be treated.
He agreed it was a picturesque rural village and a suitable location had to be found for a treatment plant, pipeline and a discharge location, which will cost Irish Water €8m.
A fine of €2,500 was imposed by Judge Brennan in relation to this prosecution.
The EPA inspector also told the court that there as no water treatment plant at Castletownshend which had a population of around 450 people. Their sewage was discharged directly into the sea at a nearby beach.
‘Brown matter’
He showed the judge photos of the beach including one where children could be seen playing just 50m from a culvert carrying the sewage into the sea. He said “white pieces of toilet paper and brown matter” could be seen in one photo.
The defence said Irish Water will have a treatment plant in operation there in 2021 at a cost of €4m.
Judge John Brennan said it was a “grave concern” that raw sewage was discharged into the amenity and that it was a tourist location and also used by children.
The court heard that the Kilfenora case related to ground water entering the supply of drinking water. Mr Cole said the discharge problem had existed since 1974. The EPA had given Irish Water 20 months to come up with a solution.
The court noted that Irish Water had pleaded guilty in the three cases and the issues had existed before it took over responsibility from local councils.