Will CCTV tackle 'out of hand' rubbish dumping in rural Waterford? 

Waterford City and County Council intends to install and operate CCTV cameras for the sole primary purpose of preventing litter and illegal dumping.

A public consultation on the matter concluded recently, with most respondents in favour of using CCTV for waste enforcement.

An oversight group met in early September to review the feedback and proposed locations, and a recommendation for approval is due to be sent to Chief Executive of Waterford Council Sean McKeown.

Tender documents are being finalised for the CCTV provision and the plan is to have cameras in place at five to 10 locations across the county by the end of the year.

Representative of the Comeragh municipal district of the county, Cllr Liam Brazil, welcomed the use of CCTV, saying that rubbish dumping in rural Waterford is out of control and culprits need to be held to account.

“We need to use the CCTV to see who’s doing this to our beautiful Comeragh area,” he said.

“Rubbish being dumped in the Comeragh district is totally out of hand. I do believe that we as an authority are not doing enough to apprehend the people who are dumping this rubbish.

“I don’t think it’s good enough for anyone to open the boot of their car and take out a bag of rubbish and leave it on the side of the road, and the only people who should be picking up that rubbish are the people who dumped it.

“The onus is on us to see can we find the people who dumped that rubbish.” 

He added that visitors to the county are contributing to the issue.

“We welcome visitors, but we don’t want them dumping rubbish, all we ask is that they bring home their rubbish with them.

“It’s not good enough for anyone to be leaving rubbish behind them.”