MEATH based environmental scientist Jack O’Sullivan, who has been working with the Shannon Protection Alliance (SPA), has described the proposed abstraction of water from the River Shannon to Dublin as completely unnecessary.
The proposals includes the abstraction of raw water from the north eastern part of Lough Derg during times of high flow to be stored Garryhinch Cutaway Bog, near Portarlington, beginning in roughly 2020.
However, Mr. O’Sullivan, in an interview with the Limerick Post, expressed massive concerns about the project.
“The amount of water they are looking to take is equal to 3 million baths every day or 28 million toilet flushes. There will be 350 million litres of water a day going to Dublin and other counties from Lough Derg.
“It will cost €600 million to build the pipeline, and the cost of operations for the proposed 25 years of abstraction will be huge, with RPS own figures indicating a running cost of €141 million”.
Mr. O’Sullivan admitted that clean water was an essential human need, but added that there had not been adequate research into identifying alternative sources for the water.
“They haven’t considered metering, that would allow people to have a certain amount of water for free but be metered if they go over that limit.
“There is virtually nothing about water conservation in the report, such as rain water harvesting.
“A total of 53 million litres a day are lost on customer site leakage a day and there is a 20% loss of water among Dublin’s network of pipes; that’s €161 million in leakage per day.
“Even if this could be reduced to 15%, €100 million could be saved a day. They have a strange way of doing things. Conservation methods were ignored in the report”.
He advised that Dublin City Council could take lead from vegetable farmers in Rush and Lusk in County Dublin, who sourced their own water.
“Vegetable growers in Rush and Lusk were getting two million litres of water a day. They drilled into a cracked area in the rock to source vast amounts of water to keep their vegetables.
“If Dublin drilled 200 wells it would be cheaper than taking water from the Shannon”.
He explained that there could be severe consequences for Mid West residents and the local environment if the abstraction goes ahead.
“There could be affects on fish, amenities and tourism. The report refers to creating water amenities but doesn’t say how they will maintain these beautiful wetlands. The problem was not really addressed.
“Also, if a large portion of the country relies on one water supply, what happens if something goes wrong?
“The most powerful would dictate where the water goes and with Dublin having the largest population, it would undoubtedly be prioritised.
“I feel its critical that the project should be re-examined, though I believe the chances of it going ahead are not great.
“The SPA are not in favour of handing the management of this issue to a private company. The price is sky-high, and while the Government say competition is essential, there won’t be any as there will only be one pipeline”.
