Cleaning up the River Lee in Cork is now a priority. The entire raw sewage output of the second city in the Republic is dumped untreated into the river every day. This includes 13 million gallons of waste water as well as 20 tonnes of solid matter.
There was a time when Corkonians swam in the Lee right up to the city quays and used it as a natural amenity. Nowadays, even the hardy mullet are to be seen only through a peagreen or mawkish brown veneer. It is unsavoury and something had to be done.
For the next three years, the people of Cork will come to know only too well that restoring the Lee to a state of cleanliness comes at a price. The price is going to be traffic disruption on a large scale as the city streets are dug up to install new sewers.
The project will cost more than £100 million but when it is completed, all the sewage will be pumped to a state-of-the-art treatment plant in Cork Harbour. Solid matter will be turned into pellets as fertiliser and the treated water, now clean again, will be disposed of harmlessly into the harbour.
The Lee will be restored and the swimmers will be free to return once again. That's one side of the coin. The other is that digging up Cork city will provide archaeologists with a unique opportunity to explore the history that undoubtedly lies under those streets.
The city archaeologist, Maurice Hurley, is looking forward to the opportunities that have arisen because of the main drainage project. A team of archaeologists from City Hall will follow the dig as it progresses, recording and mapping what turns up.
The finds should be significant. Old Cork arose from a bog - hence its name, Corcaigh. In those marshy conditions, the ancient builders and planners had to be resourceful. As the need arose, they built the city streets layer upon layer.
Now, Cork Corporation is going to unearth those layers and in the archaeology department, there is an air of expectancy. Cathryn Power will direct the project, as she already has done in the North Main Street/Liberty Street area of the city, where new pipes have been laid - work which led to part of the old city walls being recovered. The base of the original Queen's Old Castle tower was also exposed.
"The dig should allow us to increase our knowledge of the city," Mr Hurley said. "Over the centuries, the city streets turned from wood to cobblestone. We will now be able to look back into that history. Cathryn will have three people working with her but if the need arises, additional staff will be drafted in. We will work closely with the corporation and in the event of a major find, we will ask for more time."
Mr Hurley continued: "Of course we must have new drains but not at the expense of our heritage. If something exciting does come to light, we will have to find ways of diverting the pipes."
When the survey is complete, plaques will be erected at various sites in the city giving details of the dig. Traffic disruption there will be. But if it means a clean river and historical finds, at the end of the day Corkonians cannot quibble.