Uisce Éireann’s investment in Ireland’s wastewater infrastructure is benefiting communities around the country by supporting growth and development, enhancing water quality and protecting the environment.

The latest EPA Urban Wastewater Treatment Report published by the Environmental Protection Agency, Ireland shows the progress being made in tackling long-running issues like raw sewage discharges, while also underlining the need for continued investment in essential wastewater services.

However. the EPA's Urban Waste Water Treatment Report 2022 has identified 26 towns and villages across Ireland that are not connected to waste water treatment infrastructure. These include Kilkee, Kilrush, Ballyvaughan and Liscannor, while Lahinch has been found to be in breach of EU standards set to protect the environment.

"It will take a multi-billion euro investment to bring all treatment systems up to standard"

The EPA comment in the report:

“While Uisce Éireann is making progress, it is concerning that Ireland has still not met all its obligations under the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive, some 30 years after the country was required to bring provisions into force to comply with the Directive. Treatment at many areas is still not as good as it needs to be and inadequately treated waste water continues to impact water quality in our rivers, lakes, estuaries and coastal waters.

“It will take a multi-billion euro investment to bring all treatment systems up to standard and at least two decades to complete this work. As all the problems cannot be fixed in the short term, the available resources must be directed where they are needed most. Uisce Éireann can deliver significant benefits for our environment between now and the end of its next investment cycle in 2029 by targeting funding and resources to improve treatment at the 89 priority areas highlighted by the EPA in this report.”

Highest annual investment in wastewater to date of over €450 million

2022 saw the highest annual investment in wastewater to date of over €450 million as Uisce Éireann continues to make progress in priority areas such as locations where there is raw sewage entering the rivers, lakes and the sea, sites identified by the European Court of Justice under the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive and sites where urban wastewater is a significant pressure.

Uisce Éireann said that as the EPA acknowledges, the building, repair and upgrading of Ireland’s wastewater treatment plants and sewer network will require a multi-billion euro investment programme over many years. Uisce Éireann is focussed on delivering the best possible service improvements, while maximising return on investment.

Towns and villages such as Cobh, Bundoran, Duncannon and Liscannor are among 28 around the country benefiting today from cleaner waters and enhanced amenities due to the construction of new treatment plants where none existed previously. There are currently 11 more locations under construction including towns like Arklow, Kilrush Ballycotton & Ramelton. This means that, since 2014, over 70% of all raw sewage discharges have now been eliminated, with the majority of the rest to be ended by 2025.

In addition to building new infrastructure where none existed previously Uisce Eireann is also driving sustained improvement in existing wastewater treatment standards. Last year 91% of Ireland’s treatment plants were fully compliant with the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive. For those plants that are not currently achieving compliance, Uisce Éireann has a plan of action to address any deficiencies and bring them up to the appropriate standard as quickly as possible.

Ireland’s largest wastewater treatment plant in Ringsend is a case in point. The plant, which treats 40% of all the country’s wastewater, is currently undergoing a €550 million upgrade which will mean that by the end of this year, it is expected to be achieving full compliance.

Other key projects around the country include the €114 million Athlone Main Drainage project which will support growth in the area and enhance water quality in the river Shannon, and the now completed upgrade of the Mallow wastewater treatment plant and network in Cork to ensure compliance with the European Court of Justice ruling in relation to wastewater collection systems.

Ending raw sewage discharges and improving wastewater treatment are priorities for Uisce Éireann

Brian Sheehan, Uisce Éireann’s Head of Infrastructure Delivery, commented:

“Ending raw sewage discharges and improving wastewater treatment for cities, towns and villages across the country are priorities for Uisce Éireann. We are making huge strides in addressing these issues and we are now seeing real and tangible benefits from the unprecedented level of investment in this essential infrastructure. To date over 70% of raw sewage discharges nationwide have been eliminated and we are on track to end the majority by 2025. Our targeted programme of investment in existing wastewater plants and networks is also helping to protect the environment and enhance water quality.

“The timely delivery of this infrastructure and services is a critical component in supporting sustainable social and economic development. Last year we invested over €1bn in water and wastewater projects, and we will need to maintain this level of funding in the years to come. It will also be necessary to address existing issues in our planning and approvals system so that large scale critical infrastructure can progress within a reasonable timeframe. We will continue to work with Government and our regulators, including the EPA and CRU, to ensure we can rise to the challenge of delivering transformative wastewater services to enable communities to thrive.”

Click here to download the EPA's Urban Waste Water Treatment Report 2022