Plan To Remedy Lingering Greystones Wastewater Odour Issue Must Be Fastracked Says TD

Wicklow TD calls for immediate upgrades to Greystones wastewater plant amid odour issued after issues surrounding the facility were verified from various reviews

Independent assessment of the Greystones wastewater treatment plant has shown up issues with an odour abatement system in the facility by the Environmental Protection Agency.

A lingering smell has been distressing local residents in Greystones all summer while Uisce Eireann admits the system needs upgrading following assessments.

Wicklow Sinn Féin TD John Brady says upgrades to the system need to be fastracked after the facility's issues were verified from various reviews:

''A number of years ago I, as a last resort with Usice Eireann, I had to report it to the EPA, the Environmental Protection Agency. They came out, the carried out an inspection . They laid out a whole criteria that needed to be adhered to, carbon filters needed to be changed on a regular basis to ensure that the odour abatement system was fully operational.''

However he says their points were fully followed through on:

''Slowly over the last number of years things have got back worse than ever. This summer has really brought things to a head so much so that I had to complain to the Enviornmental Protection Agency.

''An independent assessment carried out of the odour abatement system identified issues there, but Uisce Eireann are saying it now needs to go through further evaluation, that it is now deemed as an old system that does need to be upgraded.''

He has sought further assurance from the utility, but was frustrated with their time frame:

''In the most recent correspondence from Uisce Eireann they're now saying that (the review) it is going to be early '26.

''It's just not acceptable, I mean the issue is there. The EPA have dealt with it, I mean there's been assessment carried out, they've acknowledged it's an old system that needed to be updated.

''What we do know is that it's totally intolerable and we need action. To say that it's on a capital list of projects that needs to be done... that needs to be fastracked sooner rather than later because the thoughts of going into another year before a decision is taken to move ahead is totally unacceptable.''