This project to clean up the sewage discharge into Cloughey Bay is likely to receive planning approval shortly and construction work can  then proceed on this important environmental improvement scheme for Cloughey.  Until now all sewage waste from the mains system in Cloughey Village has been pumped to a settlement tank at Slanes Point at the South end of the beach, where solid matter is retained but the raw liquid sewage is discharged through an outfall into Cloughey Bay. 

Water NI plans to construct a new Waste Water Treatment works beside the existing settlement tank at Slanes Point.  The new treatment works are an "interim" solution for 5-7 years and the intention is to replace it with a major treatment works (Phase 2)  serving the 5 villages on the outer coast of the Ards peninsula (Ballywhisken, Ballywalter, Ballyhalbert, Portavogie and Cloughey).

The interim works at Cloughey will occupy a site of approx 0.5 acres and most of it will be below ground level.  There will be 3 "kiosks" on the site with a maximum height of 2m.  The site will be surrounded with a security fence and will be landscaped with a mound and hedging to minimise the visual impact from Manse Road, Main Road and Cloughey Beach.

The existing fencing around the settlement tank will be removed as part of the scheme and the sewage will be pumped from this tank into the new works.  The 'cleansed'  water will enter the sea through the existing outfall but will not contain any sewag.

The works were scheduled to start in Cloughey in November 2007 to  be ready for use by early summer 2008. However, objections on planning grounds by some local residents have apparently delayed the approval of the planning application.

Water NI representative addresses AGM of CDCA

Mr Jonathan Rowe attended the AGM of the CDCA on 7th February 2008, and presented the propsal including phtotmontages showing how the view of Slanes point would actually be improved as the existing and very noticable fence would be removed as part of the scheme.

He was asked if the works would produce a smell and he explained that the process did not produce a smell but that a smell could arise if solid materials were allowed to accumulate on the site.  However they were planning to remove these materials on a regular basis so that smells would not be a problem.   He also said that the quality of the discharge would result in a significant improvement in the water quality in the sea around the outfall.  He confirmed that the capacity of the interim works would be more than sufficient for all existing development and the additional developments for which planning permission had already been approved.

After almost an hour of questions and answers, most people at the meeting were reassured that the sewage system for Cloughey was being upgraded to end the discharge of raw sewage into Cloughey Bay.  Also that when the main works were constructions there would be no discharge into the sea here as the new major works was likely to be sited further North to be accessible to all the villages.

Overall those attending the meeting were An informative printed leaflet was distributed at the meeting and copies can be obtained from johathan.rowe@niwater.com or by phoning 328161 ext 23345 .