Passage West Residents ‘Venting’
Anger Over Height Of Sewer Vent
Writes Leo McMahon
A new and very tall sewer ventilation stack had been put in the park as part of works by Irish Water (IW) opposite Toureen Terrace, Passage West and was the cause of upset to residents, said Cllr Marcia D’Alton (Ind) at the recent meeting of Cork County Council’s Carrigaline-Bandon Municipal District.
Although marked with a circle on the plans, no one had a clue what it would look like and it was never mentioned at any consultative forum. She asked the engineer to have a look at it and see if IW could get it moved, possibly behind a telephone pole and thereby ensure residents didn’t have to look at it all the time. She added that another vent was proposed for Glenbrook.
Senior executive engineer Madeleine Healy said she had no problem talking to the relevant people but suggested the councillors do so directly as well.
Cllr Seamus McGrath (FF) spoke in support and was told it was seven metres high. He understood further vents were planned so there was need for some intervention because the one at Toureen was, in his opinion, obtrusive.
Cllrs Michael Frick Murphy (SF) and Deirdre Forde (FG) concurred.
In reply to query on this from The Carrigdhoun, IW emailed the following: ‘A natural phenomenon within any wastewater collection system is the production of odorous gases and the ventilation of these gases as the water level increases and decreases in the sewer. Displaced air will vent through any relief available such as nearby unsealed manholes. Odour complaints are common where sewer ventilation occurs through manholes at ground level. The inclusion of ventilation stacks is therefore a standard element in all sewer networks.
‘Ventilation stacks (or vent columns/chimneys) allow these odours and gases from the network to be safely vented to the atmosphere, in a similar way to the requirement for sewer vents in all domestic house installations.
‘IW has established standard design details which are adhered to on all projects. The height of the vent stack allows these odours and gases to be released at height, thus avoiding odour in the vicinity of the ventilation point that can sometimes be associated with lower height units. The IW standard detail assessed was deemed appropriate for the venting at Toureen Terrace in consideration of the local built environment.
‘The vent installed at Toureen Terrace was fully detailed in the planning application made for the project including its location, height and appearance and it has been installed in compliance with the planning permission granted to the scheme.’
IW further stated that its Resident Engineering team had since met with the person who made the complaint and explained the reasons for the vent stack and why it needs to be there.
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