Pollution threat to Lough Ennell, says Councillor Duncan

No more sludge is to be drawn into the Mullingar waste treatment plant from outside the town, local Cllr Andrew Duncan has demanded. He claims that the practice is posing a significant pollution threat to Lough Ennell.

At a meeting of Municipal District of Mullingar Kinnegad last week, he was advised to take the matter up Uisce Éireann (previously Irish Water), who are not in a position to meet with the council, but hold Zoom meetings with local representatives.

Cllr Duncan said he would have no confidence in "pushing it out to a meeting with Irish Water". Irish Water are in control of the plant, but it is Westmeath County Council, not Irish Water, that are drawing the additional waste into the Mullingar plant, he declared.

He proposed that the council do not draw or permit anyone to draw any more waste, other than Mullingar waste, into the plant until they get an adequate response from Irish Water. The proposal was seconded by Cllr Ken Glynn and passed by the council.