Vast majority of flood funds unspent

The vast majority of special funding allocated to Athlone Town Council in the wake of the catastrophic 2009 floods has remained unspent, the Westmeath Independent has learned.

In early 2010, the Office of Public Works (OPW) approved funding of €289,000 under its minor flood works programme on The Strand in Athlone, which overlooks the Shannon on the east bank of the town centre. Another €177,000 was allocated for flood alleviation works at Iona Villas.

This week, Athlone Town Council has confirmed that it never drew down the €289,000 funding for works on The Strand, instead spending just €4,000 on sand bags. And only half of the money allocated for flood works at Iona Villas was utilised.

In total, some €383,000 out of an approved €466,000 was never spent by the council.

Iona Villas and The Strand were two of the areas in Athlone which were severely affected by flooding in 2009, and the council’s funding request for flood defence measures at these locations was approved by the OPW.

Funding applications for flood prevention projects at other local areas such as Deerpark Road, The Park, Parnell Square, Canal Banks, the Docks and Brick Island were rejected by the OPW.

Following questions by the Westmeath Independent, Athlone Town Clerk Pat Keating confirmed this week that in 2010, the council completed flood relief works at Iona Villas consisting of embankments and a pumping system and half of the funding approved, €79,000, was drawn down from the OPW. The remaining money for the Iona Villas project was utilised.

In relation to The Strand, the statement said, having been allocated the funding for works on The Strand, the council carried out a detailed assessment and a number of technical difficulties were identified.

These included the overflowing of the sewer system when the Shannon rises above critical levels, the permeability of the old quay wall and the tendency for stormwater outfalls and gullies connected directly to the Shannon to overflow during flood conditions.

The council said: “Following detailed consideration of the options and the likely benefit, it was concluded that no substantial expenditure should be committed in this area until after the completion of the Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management Study (CFRAMS) and the Athlone Main Drainage Scheme.”

It added: “In addition to the substantial cost, a permanent barrier would have a significant negative visual impact on this area.”

However, in September 2010, then Director of Services for the Athlone area Barry Kehoe told a meeting of the Athlone area committee of Westmeath County Council that the defences would probably be demountable or removable.

“The works at the Strand are much more complex from an engineering perspective and will probably involve the construction of demountable defences on complex foundations in a very sensitive environment,” it added.

“In this context, it is necessary for the council to recruit specialist consulting engineers and procurement is ongoing.”

Council Director of Services Barry Kehoe said it was hoped that this appointment would be made shortly and that the work would be underway “before it is needed.”

He indicated that the local authority was being particularly careful to ensure it does not put something in place at The Strand which would make the busy area less attractive to pedestrians and visitors.

This week the council said it had employed an “interim solution”, at The Strand, which consisted of purchasing “a proprietary sand bag system” at the cost of €4,000 and this system can be deployed in the event of flooding.