By Dan Walsh
This is a famous line from ‘The Rime of the Ancient Mariner’ a poem by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, (1772-1834, English poet) and suggests that ‘despite being surrounded by something you cannot benefit from it’. It is an interesting theory – a bit like support local! I learned that quote at primary school… a long long time ago. Politicians take note!
An Taoiseach Micheál Martin is in Scotland at the world leaders summit and he will return in a few days and attempt to railroad through a climate change programme in Dáil Éireann, and it looks like he is pushing an open door. But then, he selected the team following the last General Election.
But like most of the world leaders who gathered in a ‘third world country’ following Brexit and the UK exit from Europe, democracy is taking a hammering, many leaders do not enjoy popular support in their own countries and consideration for the environment is superseded by favouring the science over the welfare of the people – health, comfort, food and respect.
The metrological forecast of heavy rain last week was on target. 60mls in a few hours at Mayglass Treatment Plant, but the consumers were safe. It is a modern plant. Except the high content of lime ensures that new saucepans and kettles are permanently on the Christmas present list!
The high amount of rainfall resulted in an overflow of dirty and cloudy water. The Boil Water Notices were as regular as flushing the toilet!
Creagh Plant in Gorey had been making the headlines since an episode in August when fifty-two people were ill and some hospitalised. It made the national news headlines and a report involving the Environmental Protection Agency, the Health Service Executive and Wexford County Council is pending.
Last week’s heavy rain created Boil Water Notices for Creagh (Gorey), Enniscorthy and Wexford town. It was the right decision in the interest of public health. It appears that it will be the end of the week before there is any sign of lifting…and rainfall dependant.
Drink as much water as you like in New Ross or use it as a mixer because the Barrowside escaped as it is fitted with an Ultra Violet (UV) system, and we believe that it was installed before Irish Water gained control of the scheme.
The UV process is effective in treating the cloudy and dirty water and killing bacteria that gets through the system.
Cllr Tom Forde claims that Irish Water need to invest in UV treatment systems in plants. They are scheduled to do so in 2023. Instead of constantly attacking Irish Water and the County Council, why are the TD’s of the political alliance in government not pushing for serious investment in County Wexford’s water system? There is an investigation… now is the chance!
Meanwhile, Enniscorthy’s proposed Flood Relief Scheme must be wrapped in a glove and resigned to a lonely project on the long finger.
WexfordLocal.com 