There is untreated sewage flowing from a council septic tank which serves the town into my local river. I have highlighted this ongoing problem to the County Council, Inland Fisheries Ireland , Envoirnment Protection Agency , local councillors and 3 sitting members of the present government.
I have either been ignored or fobbed off by all and just cant make anyone in authority to sit up and take notice.
A treatment plant has been promised for the town with years but latest news is that it wont be built untill ' most likely the end of 2014 '.
Given the scale of the pollution and the enormous damage being done to the river can any forum members point me in the right direction to try and get the treatment plant built as a matter of urgency.
Any advice welcome - thanks

I had a similar situation, messed about by the authorities etc.
Ask the relevant authorities to let you have their complaints proceedure and ....complain.
I accompanied mine with a few relevant pictures on a web page which I promised to publish in the local press if the inactivity continued. This had the desired effect (albeit temporary) and the problem was adressed.

The problem did continue but I was able to challenge the two authorities concerned, that is the local water supplier and the environment agency, by extracting their terms of service from them and proving they weren't fufilling their duties. It became a bit of a part time job but several years on the problem is as close to resolution as possible.

Be prepared for a slog and a lot of BS from the desk jockeys, the guys on the ground can occasionally take your side and give you good advice.

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Musha rig um du rum da

Video it and get it on You Tube. Get the local papers and if possible the nationals involved. Find out who the individuals are with the responsibility for the discharge and denounce them in the papers, on LinkedIn, Facebook, Google+. NOT the council but the individual officers who are letting it happen, the councillors who are on the committees that decide how the sewage is to be handled. Denounce the MPs for their inaction. Explain to the media folk what impact their neglect is having, list the species affected. Make a real fuss... Start a blog and illustrate it with pictures and video, encourage comments from the readers, ask them to "follow" your blog. Start an online petition via your blog. Ring round a few contractors and ask for quotations for emptying the septic tank and transporting the sewage away for safe treatment then shame the authorities by publicising what a tiny sum is needed to clean up their act.

The baby that screams loudest gets fed first!

richard

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Who resides on the right bank of the Derbyshire Wye and is lulled to sleep each night by the mutterings of a weir, dreaming that "When the rivers and their inhabitants come first, we ALL win..."

I too find this frustrating but the reality is that our treatment plants were not built to cope with today's demand from a growing population. CSO's are discharged directly into rivers when flood water threatens to inundate the treatment plants, but all too often they are discharged in periods of low water when they aren't meant to.

UP here Scottish Water always give the same response, that there was a blockage which had to be flushed out.

Why can't it be flushed IN?

Thanks for the advice guys - I have provided photograpgic evidence to all concerned so they can see what is happening quite clearly . I have also thought about going to the press and trying to shame them into action.
As it stands at the moment - the EPA are reviewing the councils licence to operate the existing septic tank and a decision is pending. However , as all the agencys seem to be in bed together I would be surprised if they ruled against the council.
Does anyone know who to contact in Europe as that seems to be the only way to get things done in this little country of ours.
I will have to make a greater effort in the new year once the Christmas festivities are over.
Happy Christmas to all and tite lines in the new year

You had better be quick with this one as soon we will have no backing from the Europeans.

maybe i should e mail Angela directly seeing as she runs the show here now