South Mayo water scheme’s new source deemed insufficient

PLANS by a south Mayo group water scheme to improve their services have received a setback.

A proposal by the Funshinagh/Cross Group Water Scheme to retain a recently drilled borehole plus permission for a new single storey treatment plant building has been turned down for planning.

The site location is at Castletown in Cross, Cong.

The scheme supplies water to 170 houses as well as meeting agricultural demand in its catchment area.

Documentation submitted to Mayo County Council explained how it takes raw water from Lough Corrib and has been doing so for up to the last 30 years.

However, that water is very difficult to treat to a standard which complies with the 2014 drinking water regulations.

The scheme has been served with a direction from the council which requires it to demonstrate that it can, consistently, produce treated water that complies with the regulations.

It has found a new water source (in the borehole for which retention permission was sought), which is much easier and cheaper to treat than the water from Lough Corrib.

The new treatment plant building was required to carry out the treatment of this new water source.

Having considered the application, council planners recommended a refusal.

It was not established to the council's satisfaction that the group scheme could supply a potable water supply compliant with the regulations. Therefore the development as proposed would be prejudicial to public health and contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.

A hydrological report found the new borehole aquifier was 'extremely vulnerable' and that there would not be sufficient supply from it to meet the demands of the scheme.