Is the River Brosna in danger of being polluted, and if so, how?

Cllr Andrew Duncan is convinced it is, and is convinced that the cause is connected to the Mullingar sewage treatment plant.

“Can the Municipal District of Mullingar Kinnegad confirm that all waste and run off water connected to the Mullingar treatment sewage and storage system is treated or if some is being discharged directly to the river Brosna?” he asked formally at the September meeting of the Mullingar Kinnegad Municipal District.

The official written response to his query stated that the wastewater infrastructure is operated in accordance with their EPA licence; however, there are three licensed storm water overflows which in extreme events may cause a surcharge to the River Brosna.

The reply went on to state that Uisce Éireann had reported these incidents to the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) and that Uisce Éireann are to undertake a Drainage Area Plan (DAP) in the Mullingar wastewater agglomeration.

“This plan will inform the capital works required to the wastewater network, it is envisaged that capital works will not commence until at least 2027,” the response concluded.

Cllr Duncan, deeply unhappy with the contents of the response, told the meeting that he had been pleased when the treatment plant was upgraded and future-proofed some years ago, so it would be able to cater for a population of 50,000.

However, he said, it was belief that the treatment plant is now operating at full capacity because of sludge from some outside areas is being brought to the plant for treatment.

He was dismayed to hear that three stormwater drains are discharging directly to the Brosna, and said he would love to know the number of times the EPA has been notified about this.

“By throwing out there that we’re ‘operating within the EPA licence limits’, that’s not good enough for me,” said Cllr Duncan.

The Fine Gael man went on to allege that there is oil and “all sorts of stuff” running off the roads and into the lake: “You can actually see it. You can see slicks going down into Lough Ennell after heavy rainfall,” he said. “That’s going on an awful long time.”

It was, he said, “mind-boggling” that the body tasked with looking after Ireland’s waterways was actually effectively polluting it by discharging untreated runoff water directly into a river.

“The question is simple: what are Westmeath County Council going to do about it?” he asked.

He suggested that the district write asking Uisce Éireann to attend a council meeting.

Director of services Deirdre Reilly said that can be done, but she was fairly confident that their response would be that they hold clinics.