Margaret Ritchie, SDLP Assembly Member for South Down, has renewed her demands for a new Waste water treatment facility to be available in Crossgar.

Miss Ritchie said, “Crossgar has once again been affected by the inadequate sewage system  which serves the town.

This time those affected are the pupils and staff of St Joseph’s Primary School. Over the past number of months there has been an intermittent smell of sewage in the school. The foul odours appear in the early morning and disperse throughout the day. The South Eastern Education and Library Board has hired private contractors who have confirmed there is no blockage in the system, nor is there anything in the school’s plumbing infrastructure which may cause this problem.

It is clear that the cause of this odour is the sewage infrastructure, which services Crossgar town. Crossgar needs an updated waste water treatment facility in order to cope with present demand, and to meet demands from future development within the town and surrounding area.

Over the past number of years, residents in Crossgar have suffered from flooding, sewage spills, fish kills in the Glasswater river due to problems with the sewage infrastructure. St Joseph’s Primary School is unfortunately another victim of the inadequacy of this infrastructure.

I have made representations to both Northern Ireland Water and the Department of Regional Development, which has responsibility for sewage infrastructure concerning the very real need for new waste water treatment facilities in Crossgar.

I will also being pursing with the Minister the results of the Crossgar Drainage Area Study, which was due to be commissioned in 2008, and any recommendations within that report for upgrading treatment works with the Capital Investment Programme.”

Liked This Post? Why not share it!