Log <snip> - Another public sewer issue

granturismo

I logged this by phone with Irish Water at 12.45 on Tuesday 5^th January after being referred to Irish Water by my local County Council.  I understand from your employee that she then had to email my local County Council who are responsible for taking action.
There is a 200 meter open sewer flowing at the back of my house.  It is at least 1m deep.  It is a deliberately designed overflow from a municipal sewage pumping station which caters for a population of approx 12000.  Up to approx 2006 this was a regular occurrence when there was heavy rain fall or the pumps failed to automatically switch on, resulting in sewage overflowing from the pumping station, into this 200m ditch and then into underground pipes and then directly into the River Liffey.  We used to have an emergency contact number for the County Council who would then turn the pumps on no matter what time of day we rang them.  Approx 8 years ago the underground storage tank and pumping station were upgraded and we never had a repeat until this January.
I had to ask for my mobile phone number to be added to the log so I could be udpated - I have not received any phone call from Irish Water or my local council.  Nothing has been done since I logged this call on the 5^th January when I asked Irish Water to complete the following;
1. Stop the flow of sewage from the overflow tank to this open ditch.
2. Drain the sewage from the open ditch, don't let it just trickle flow into the Liffey or just dry out into the ditch.
3. Spray the ditch with disinfectant.  When various flying insects start hatching again they will spread contamination into our houses.
4. Put pipes down that link the overflow from the pumping station to the underground pipes so we don't have an open sewer 20 metres from our back windows.  We cannot open our windows because of the stench.  
I also want a full rebate for my Irish Water bill for this quarter.
 
Photo 1 shows the sewage flowing from the pumping station’s underground outflow pipe.  This pipe is underground and the pumping station is approx 40m away.
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The video shows where the open ditch flows to an underground pipe (I presume designed to take surface water) and from there into the Liffey.  There are house rear gardens behind the hedge.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbHZvxIdJDQ

Irish Water: Mairead

Hi granturismo,

Thank you for contacting us and please accept our apologies for the delay in response.
This was due to technical difficulties.

We can certainly investigate this matter for you, if you can provide the following details by PM:

- Name;
- Address; and
- Contact number.

Kind regards,
Mairead

granturismo

PM Sent.  All my details were in my phone call on Tuesday 5th January.

Irish Water: Mairead wrote: »

Hi granturismo,

Thank you for contacting us and please accept our apologies for the delay in response.
This was due to technical difficulties.

We can certainly investigate this matter for you, if you can provide the following details by PM:

- Name;
- Address; and
- Contact number.

Kind regards,
Mairead

Irish Water: Mairead

Hi granturismo,

Thank you for the update.

A member of our team will be in contact with you by DM shortly.

Kind regards,
Mairead

granturismo

5th April, 2016.  Nothing has progressed with the pipe Kildare CC were supposed to install to enclose this open sewer.  My understanding from talking to Kildare CC throughout February was that this sewage overflow was to be piped. 

Please can you provide an update.

Irish Water: Alex

Hi granturismo,

Thank you for the update and we are sorry to read this.

We will respond to your query via PM shortly.

Thanks,
Alex.