The Sources
The photographs below show a number of different sources of air and river pollution in
the middle of New Inn village (in East County Galway).
All of the photographs show were taken during March and April 2001.
All of the discharges are within a few hundred yards (upstream) of the
pump house used to supply the local community water supply. The pump house and associated
underground water pumps are all close to the river (just behind the Primary School).
Sometimes the river floods to several times its normal size, and when this happens the
flood water tends to move in around the area where the pumps are.
Photograph 1
The discharge shown in the photograph below is believed to come from the Primary School
in New Inn village. It goes straight into the river. It is thought that there are just
over 100 hundred children (aged between 4 and 13) attending the Primary School.
Photograph 2
The gaps shown below between the covers of the Primary School septic tank seem to be
one of the main causes of air pollution in the village. The arrangement photographed here
is within a few feet of the main road to the local Community Centre. This road is
frequently used by pedestrians, and they include those who often need to walk the short
distance between the Secondary School and the Community Centre (which has sports and other
facilities used by them).
Photograph 3
A square concrete drain, with a circular pipe inside it, can be seen in the photograph
below. This set-up is thought to contain two separate sources of untreated sewage. One of
the sources is understood to be the New Inn Secondary School which is believed to have
approximately 230 teenage pupils. The arrangement below (which is right next to the
bridge) is within a few feet of the main road through New Inn village, and within 20 feet
or so from the Diesel pump used by Finnerty's business premises for selling car fuel to
the general public (which of course includes tourists).
Photograph 4
The discharge into the river shown in the photograph below is approximately 30 feet to
the south of the one shown in photograph 3 above (i.e. on the same side of the bridge as
Finnertys, but further away from it).
HEALTH RISK
Sewage-contaminated water may contain the health
threatening bacteria known as E. coli 0157:H7. This particular strain can cause major medical problems including the
complication known as HUS (Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome). HUS is a very serious disease which
causes red blood cells to be destroyed, and which in turn gives rise to kidney failure.
Sometimes it kills the patient. Apparently, the young and the elderly are the ones most at
risk.
For additional E. coli information, please click on
the following link: E. coli
0157:H7
Although there might not be any connection at all
with the above mentioned sewage discharge problems, the late (and elderly) Mrs.W.T. Finnerty did nevertheless suddenly take ill, and died
10 days or so later, from kidney failure (approximately 10 years ago); and she is not the
only person in the village known to have developed very serious kidney problems in recent
years.
THE LAW
The arrangements described above are believed to be
in breach of several Republic of Ireland laws, including the following three:
(a) Air
Pollution Act of 1987
(b) Local Government (Water
Pollution) Act of 1977 (See also 1990 Amendment)
(c) Environmental Protection
Agency Act of 1992
An Email dated April 20th
2001 regarding the above matters has been sent to Mr Noel Dempsey T.D. who is the
Minister at The Department of the Environment and Local Government.
List of threats to
local environment
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