Treatment plant capacity questioned after flooding in east Mayo town

A number of premises in Kiltimagh were flooded during a recent downpour, with capacity at the town's treatment plant now being questioned.

The unwelcome news is that the sewerage and storm water both run into the plant, Councillor Adrian Forkan was told.

It shouldn't be a mix, he told council management. “It should be one or the other.”

At the end of a hugely successful festival weekend under sunny skies in the town, the rain fell on July 13, with the main street and bottom of the town at Walsh's garage flooded.

A number of businesses were flooded, including a hairdressers in the middle of town.

Is there a capacity issue, Councillor Forkan asked management. Are both the sewerage and storm water going down the one pipe to the treatment plant.

The two can't be meeting if the capacity isn't there, he said.

His colleague Councillor Neil Cruise confirmed that it's a combined system and capacity isn't enough.

To either separate it out or get a new system, both were expensive options, he noted.