The National Water Conservation Order (The hosepipe ban) comes into force from today Tuesday 9 June until Tuesday 21 July.
For the months of March – April – May, we’ve had less than half the rainfall of normal years, leading to a greatly lowered water table. This combined with the fact that we’ve had little or no rain in the last three weeks, combined with high temperatures, has led to a huge reduction in water levels in reservoirs nationwide. It is much worse up the country, but it is worrying as we head into the summer.We hope that our water source at Tubrid will prove as dependable as ever over the summer months.
Irish Water is progressing the Upgrade of the Millstreet Waste Water Treatment Plant (WWTP), which is located just off the Station Road. Notifications of Compulsory Purchase Orders for small packets of adjacent lands in Coomlogane (by the WWTP) and Inchileigh (pumping station) appeared in the Corkman this week.
The project involves the decommissioning of the existing wastewater treatment processes, which will be replaced with a modern wastewater treatment plant constructed on adjacent vacant lands. The new wastewater treatment plant will cater for a future population equivalent of 3,220. The new WwTP will have capacity to treat the equivalent of over 2,500 wheelie bins of sewage. The existing WwTP is currently operating over its design capacity (capacity for 1,600 people, treating for 2250). The new plant will provide increased treatment capacity and facilitate future development within the town. [read more …] “Progress on the Waste Water Treatment Plant”
Various news outlets (RefFM, C103, independent.ie, …) have been reporting today that a report from the EPA states that Millstreet’s water supply is one of a number of water supplies vulnerable to contamination from Cryptosporidium.
However, put your mind at ease, because this is old news.The drinking water report is from the second quarter of 2017 before the new UV filters were installed. The report states that “Works Complete but need verification of the effectiveness of the action plan”. Verification was completed, and the boil notice for Millstreet was lifted on June 14th.
From Irish Water: The Boil Water Notice affecting Millstreet Public Water Supply has been lifted. See wtr.ie/Cork for more details.
The two new UV Filters have been installed and have been operational with a week, but checks have had to me made to ensure that they were working properly and that water quality was correct. We’ll try to find out more on what’s the story.
Millstreet news items were the topic of conversation when Cllr. John Paul O’Shea spoke to Patricia Messenger on the C103’s CorkToday, this morning. Two different topics were discussed (listen to them above):
The boil water notice for tap water in Millstreet, and communication issues with Irish Water (from 22:00 to 30:30), and
the removal of the ambulance service from the Millstreet area since last Wednesday which was done with no prior notice, and no consultation with anyone (from 30:30 to 37:00)
More on the Millstreet Ambulance: The Millstreet ambulance was originally withdrawn over two years ago, and reinstated temporarily 15 months ago after public pressure, and only a day service at that (8am to 8pm).
From Irish Water: On the advice of the Health Service Executive, a Boil Water Notice is being issued to all users of the Millstreet Public Water Supply. Areas affected are: Millstreet Town, Ballydaly, Laught, Drishane, Keale). This is due to detection of low levels of Cryptosporidium. Accordingly, in the interest of public health, it is recommended that all users fed from the Millstreet Public Water Supply boil water before use. The boil notice applies until further notice
Last November the local papers reported that small levels of cryptosporidium had been found in the Millstreet water supply, despite the fact that an assessment in 2015 rated the risk of cryptosporidium as “very high”. The EPA recommended that even though there was no immediate health risk, Irish Water should install an adequate barrier against the parasite to ensure the town’s water supply is adequately disinfected at all times.
Thankfully Irish Water are reporting today that “Upgrade works are underway in Millstreet in North Cork to provide a new UV disinfection system at the treatment plant.” [theCork.ie]
Now, since UV disinfection replaces chlorine disinfection in other locations, wouldn’t it be great if this meant that our water will taste better when the install in completed 🙂 (Our water is disinfected by chlorination and fluoridation) [read more …] “New UV Disinfection System currently being installed”
Essential maintenance works may cause supply disruptions to Hegarty Street, Murphy Terrace, Old Coach Drive, Old Coach Avenue, Liscahane and surrounding areas in Millstreet, Co. Cork.
Works are scheduled to be carried out between 10am until 4pm on 29/04/2015.
Millstreet Waste Water Treatment Plant (from above in May 2013). It is located across the road from the Fire Station, just off the Station Road.
It has been announced that design proposals for the Millstreet Wastewater Treatment Plant upgrade have been approved at Government level, and that Cork County Council will now proceed with preparing contract documents with a view to seeking tenders as soon as possible. The contract is estimated at a cost of €4.1, and it is expected that it will make the Millstreet plant compliant with the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive.
Waste Water Upgrade Welcomed – Cork North West Fine Gael TD, Áine Collins has welcomed the approval given by the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Phil Hogan TD, for Cork County Council’s design proposals for the Millstreet Wastewater Treatment Plant Upgrade. The Council will proceed with preparing the contract documents with a view to seeking tenders as soon as possible… (the Corkman 1st Aug 2013)
