'Chamber pots' – Temporary wastewater solution could facilitate new homes in Limerick town

THE ROLL out of temporary wastewater solutions may allow new housing developments in Newcastle West to proceed in the short term, pending the completion of upgrade works to the current infrastructure in the town.

At the March meeting of the Newcastle West Municipal District, Cathaoirleach Michael Collins, said that Minister for Housing James Browne announced interim measures that could provide “leeway” for new housing developments.

Correspondence from John Dempsey of Uisce Éireann confirmed that the long-awaited wastewater facility upgrade will not be completed for a number of years, with construction expected to begin in late 2028, estimated to take around 28 months.

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In the meantime, developers may also be allowed to install temporary onsite treatment systems, though those with prior planning permission would need to submit new applications for these solutions.

Cllr Collins noted that Minister James Browne recently announced a developer-led wastewater initiative to accelerate housing delivery across the country.

Under the scheme, developers working with Uisce Éireann will design and construct wastewater solutions for new developments of over 40 houses or catering to more than 150 people. These will then be transferred to Uisce Éireann for ongoing operation and maintenance.

However, councillors raised concerns about the length of time it will take to deliver the permanent upgrade works in Newcastle West and the effectiveness of any temporary solutions.

Cllr Tom Ruddle said he was disappointed that the full upgrade could still take five or six years, adding that councillors appeared to be receiving “the same answer all the time”.

He also questioned who would bear the cost of constructing developer-led wastewater systems and how they would ultimately be managed.

Independent councillor Jerome Scanlan warned that temporary wastewater arrangements had caused problems in other areas, referencing previous experiences in Dromcollogher and other small-scale developments.

He said the temporary treatment systems could effectively operate as what he described as a “chamber pot” serving up to 150 homes until the permanent upgrade is completed.

Cllr Scanlan also raised concerns about potential odour issues, recalling an arrangement elsewhere that resulted in what he described as a “pong” during periods of warm weather.

Responding to the concerns, Cllr Collins said any temporary measures could provide some "leeway" for developers, especially in Newcastle West, in the short term while the permanent infrastructure is delivered.

"We do know that there is an end in sight, that this will go to plan and if there are temporary plants going in in Newcastle West which I am sure there will be, at least they will be able to tap into the systems." he added.