Shannon pipeline a fait accompli?
Concerns are mounting in Ballina/Killaloe and across the wider region that the proposed Shannon Pipeline infrastructure project is already a fait accompli, and that water authority Uisce Éireann intend to “railroad” the project through despite the worries expressed by the local population. There was an air of resignation palpable at last week’s community engagement clinic in Killaloe, where locals were given an opportunity to address their concerns directly with Uisce Éireann representatives.
The clinic, which ran last Wednesday for two hours from 5pm to 7pm, was not particularly well attended, and while participants were generally complimentary about the Uisce Éireann representatives, many stated that their questions had not been satisfactorily answered and that they continue to have huge reservations. The primary anxiety amongst those in attendance related to the potential ecological impact of the project on the River Shannon, with many expressing concern that the quality of the water would deteriorate as a result of the project. There was also a general worry that the pipeline would diminish the water supply in this area, as well as a feeling that the overall problem of insufficient water in the Dublin region could be addressed by fixing leakages in the pipe network in and around the city. A number of locals also raised concerns that the abstracted water would be used to run data centres.
Officially titled the “Water Supply Project Eastern and Midlands Region”, the proposed project entails the construction of a 172km pipeline which will abstract water from the Parteen Basin and transfer it via pipeline to Peamount in Dublin, thus providing a new water source to the capital and its environs. Uisce Éireann argues that excessive dependence on the River Liffey – which provides 85 per-cent of the drinking water in the Greater Dublin Region – represents a serious vulnerability and that a new water source is necessary to address mounting challenges in relation to economic growth, population rise, housing and climate change. They say the Greater Dublin Region will require 34 per-cent more water by 2044 than is currently available and that the solution to all of this is the Shannon Pipeline, described as a critical national infrastructure project.
‘Feeding a leaking colander’
For Brian Byrne, who lives locally near the River Shannon, this is not a black and white issue. Brian says that, at the outset at least, he wasn’t in favour of the project and he wasn’t against it, describing himself as “neutral”. He is broad-minded and acknowledges that the country is facing serious and significant challenges in areas such as housing and infrastructure, and that a reliable and efficient water-supply is critical to an urban hub such as Dublin. However, he believes that what is being proposed is neither reliable nor efficient. His chief concern is the leakages in the Dublin pipe network. He says that with this project “all you’re doing is feeding a leaking colander”. “There’s a question of priorities here,” he adds. “If you’re going to invest in a capital project of that nature, of that size, you need to make sure that it’s going to work.”
Brian feels the cost is also likely to escalate beyond the projected figures, a view shared by many of those who attended the clinic. At present the estimated cost is in the region of €4.58 to €5.96 million, but many anticipate that figure to rise. Of those who spoke, several referenced the ballooning cost of the new National Children’s Hospital and cited that as an example of what they perceive as the state’s inability to manage large infrastructure projects. Beyond cost however, Brian also has another, more scientific concern. “The other concern I’d have is that, from a microbiological perspective, in relation to the integrity of the water being pumped to Dublin, it is almost impossible to pipe water hundreds of kilometres without the leaking of chemicals and other elements from the pipe network into the water,” he emphasises. He believes that Uisce Éireann have “their hands over their ears” on that issue, and that “they just don’t want to know”. “They’re convinced that this project is the right way to go and the only way to go and it’s almost as though the decision has been made,” he concludes.
Boil water notice
Yvonne Moloney, a solicitor who lives in Ballina, feels similarly. She echoes many of Brian’s concerns, and feels that the project will be pushed through regardless of local opposition. She describes the Uisce Éireann representative she spoke to as polite and articulate, but says she got a distinct sense that the whole thing was “more of a box-ticking exercise”.
In her view, Uisce Éireann knows there is fierce opposition in the area from community groups, local politicians and the general public. They are, however, determined to carry the project through to completion. But Yvonne also wonders when that completion will be.
She fears the entire project could take many years to build and will extend beyond the targeted completion date of 2032. She is also concerned by the potential disruption to the local road network during the construction phase. Yvonne previously wrote to The Nenagh Guardian to express her frustration with Uisce Éireann in relation to the ongoing boil water notice in the Newport/Ballina area, stating that “the prolonged nature of the issue raises legitimate concerns about Uisce Éireann’s ability to manage major infrastructure projects”. She says she received little in the way of answers on that front last Wednesday evening, although the representative she spoke to was sympathetic.
It should be said that Uisce Éireann refutes many of the claims made against the project, insisting that it can be delivered both on time and on budget, that leakages are being dramatically reduced in the Dublin area and that the environmental effects of the pipeline and its impact on water levels will be negligible. They also say they are working to resolve the water supply issue affecting over 8,000 customers in the Newport area, and that experts are now collaborating with the HSE to identify the cause and find a solution.
The pipeline was always going to be a hard sell in this area, and although there will be further community engagement clinics in the coming weeks, there is a sense that Uisce Éireann have a lot of engaging to do, because many locals are not convinced.