'More investment in water needed to support Athlone's growth'
Fine Gael Minister Peter Burke has welcomed the continuing work on the €114 million Athlone Main Drainage Project, but said further investment in the town's water supply will be needed to cater for its projected population growth to 30,000 inside the next ten years.
The Athlone Main Drainage Scheme, which got underway early last year and is due to continue until the end of 2025, is a major overhaul of the town's sewerage network. It's due to end the longstanding problem of raw sewage being discharged into the River Shannon during times of heavy rainfall.
The project includes new pumping stations at Golden Island and Coosan West, which are at advanced stages, while a rising main from Golden Island to the wastewater treatment plant is now at the halfway stage of completion.
While welcoming this work, Minister Burke said more investment would be needed to ensure that Athlone's water supply could cater for its expected rise in population.
"Uisce Éireann’s wastewater treatment plan for Athlone is one of the most significant infrastructure projects undertaken in the region in recent memory, and the substantial progress being made is most welcome," he commented.
"However, I support calls from Athlone Chamber of Commerce for investment in the town’s water supply, which they have outlined in a recent submission to Uisce Éireann, expressing concerns regarding Athlone’s omission from the Water Supply Project for the Eastern and Midlands Region.
"While improving water quality and reducing the risk of wastewater flooding are obvious, tangible benefits of the project's completion, it is also essential for the development of housing to accommodate Athlone's projected population growth to 30,000 by 2031.
"To allow for sustainable growth in the town and region, more investment is needed to secure a reliable water supply for decades to come.
"While the landmark Planning and Development Bill, which was passed by the Oireachtas earlier this month, will see improvements in the planning process for large scale infrastructure projects going forward, the sooner backing is received for further investment in Athlone's water supply, the better, to safeguard its future," he concluded.