Formal complaint sent to EU in bid to force Irish government to stop 'environmental vandalism' of Dublin Bay

A concerned councillor is petitioning European Parliament in a bid to force the Irish Government and Irish Water to fix Dublin Bay's wastewater issues.

South East Inner City councillor Chris Andrews has today launched the petition as locals are fed up of constant bathing bans and leaks from the Irish Water Treatment plant in Ringsend.

The plant, which pumps wastewater into the UNESCO recognised bay, is currently failing to meet EU treatment standards

A number of bathing bans have had to be implemented by councils over the past months due to regular overflows from the plant which is operating over its limits daily.

The plant is designed to treat 101 tonnes of waste per day but averages around 150.

Now the local Sinn Fein Councillor has launched the petition in a bit to put pressure on officials to solve the problem.

He said: "This Biosphere includes not just the waters areas of ecological value but also the areas around them and the communities that live and work in these areas.

"Unfortunately, in recent times Dublin Bay, its waters, its coastline and its communities have fallen victim to environmental vandalism due to the overflow of wastewater from the Ringsend water treatment plant.

The overflowing cell (Irish Water)

"These overflows threaten the water quality, biodiversity, ecosystem and the health of over 300,000 people who live within the Dublin Bay Biosphere.

"The Environmental Protection Agency has highlighted how the Ringsend plant is failing to meet national and EU treatment standards.

"The plant is failing to comply because it's not big enough to properly treat all the wastewater that it receives.

Locals fear any leak at the proposed giant plant like the one in Ringsend last month would be catastrophic (Instagram/DublinCityShots)

"The State is facing infringement proceedings from the European Commission due to its failure to invest adequately in our wastewater treatment facilities, including in Ringsend.

"This is the direct consequence of the State’s failure to adequately invest in our water infrastructure.

"What is happening at Ringsend with the continuous leakage of wastewater into Dublin Bay is completely unacceptable and we, the communities of Dublin Bay, are fighting back."