• 60% of Ireland’s raw sewage discharges now eliminated;
• 93% of treatment plants compliant with Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive;
• 10 wastewater treatment plants built or upgraded in 2020
• 14 new wastewater treatment plants starting construction in 2021 and eight in 2022

Irish Water’s consistent progress in upgrading wastewater treatment and eliminating the discharge of raw sewage to Ireland’s rivers, lakes and coastal areas is benefiting communities and enhancing the environment throughout Ireland.

In Cork, a massive milestone in eliminating the discharge of raw sewage into Cork Lower Harbour was achieved as Irish Water nears completion of its €144 million investment in the project. The Cork Lower Harbour Main Drainage Project ensures that wastewater from Ringaskiddy-Crosshaven-Carrigaline, Ringaskiddy village, Passage-Monkstown and Cobh town, is collected and fully treated before safe discharge to the sea through an outfall at Dog Nose Point.

The completion of the project means that 20,000 homes and businesses are now connected to the overall scheme and that the equivalent of 40,000 wheelie bins of raw sewage no longer discharges daily to the waters of the harbour. Not only has the project led to improvements in water quality, it will also supporting housing and economic development in these areas.

The latest EPA Urban Wastewater Treatment Report, published today, shows the progress being made, while also highlighting the need for continued investment in our essential wastewater services.

In the last six years, Irish Water has prioritised areas where it can support housing and development and have the greatest environmental impact, particularly in locations where raw sewage was discharging into our rivers and seas.

Over 60% of raw sewage discharges have been eliminated since 2015 – and replaced with treatment capacity for the equivalent of 120,000 people. As a result of the targeted investment in wastewater infrastructure, communities around Ireland are now reaping the rewards of a cleaner environment, safer bathing waters and greater opportunities for the development of new homes, businesses and tourism.

To date, new wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) have been built in 17 locations where raw sewage had been discharged into the sea for decades. By the end of this year, construction will have started in an additional 14 locations, with a further eight projects due to get underway next year and the remaining nine from 2023 onwards. This means that the majority of raw sewage discharges, in Cork included, are on track to be removed by the end of 2025.

In Cork, Irish Water are progressing several other projects such as the Cork Mid-West Sewerage Scheme where works are in progress for a €27 million investment to provide new sewerage schemes in Coachford, Innishannon, Ballyvourney/Ballymakeera and Dripsey. Other projects currently underway include: Castletownbere Sewerage Scheme, Mallow Sewer Network and WWTP Upgrade, and the upgrade of Bandon WWTP, watermain and sewer.

Irish Water are also progressing plans for Ballycotton, Castletownsend, Whitegate Aghada, Inchigeelagh and Mitchelstown sewerage schemes as well as upgrades to WWTPs in Castlemartyr, Boherbue, Macroom and Midleton.

In addition to ending the discharge of raw sewage by building infrastructure where none previously existed, Irish Water has also been continuing with its programme of upgrading existing WWTPs and networks in towns and villages throughout Ireland. In 2020, a total of 10 WWTPs were built or upgraded (two built and eight upgraded), directly benefiting the equivalent of over 20,000 people in these communities while also protecting our wider environment. The number of plants on the Environmental Protection Agency’s Priority Action List is also continuing to fall, currently down to 97 from 148 in 2017.

In 2020, Irish Water and Cork County Council completed a €10 million project on the Courtmacsherry and Timoleague Sewerage Scheme. This has since stopped untreated wastewater being discharged directly into the Argideen River. The new WWTP, that serves a population of approximately 2,500, brings many benefits to Courtmacsherry and Timoleague in terms of health, integrity of the environment and improved water quality for both communities.

In 2020, Irish Water and Cork County Council also completed a €7 million investment to upgrade the wastewater infrastructure in Millstreet. These upgrades modernised and improved the performance of the wastewater treatment infrastructure whilst ensuring compliance with Urban Wastewater Treatment Regulations 2001. The treatment capacity of the plant has been increased and improve water quality in the Tanyard Stream and River FInnow which will support growth and development in Millstreet and surrounding areas.

Niall O’Riordan, Regional Wastewater Lead for Irish Water said:

Having a modern, sustainable and functional wastewater network in Cork is critical in order to protect our environment and to support housing and economic growth in the years ahead. We continue to work closely with the EPA and our other partners, including local authorities, to ensure this can be delivered in the most efficient and sustainable way through the use of cutting edge technologies, science and engineering expertise, and meaningful engagement with local communities around Cork.

There is no doubt that challenges remain. Much of the infrastructure for safely collecting and treating wastewater around the country has suffered from decades of under-investment. But Irish Water has a plan in place to address these deficiencies and we are making real progress. Continued investment will be required in the coming years to build a modern, fit-for-purpose wastewater network but we are confident that we are on track to achieving that aim.

One of the key priorities in Irish Water is compliance with the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive. Due to the work undertaken to address long-standing issues with many wastewater treatment plants, the compliance rates have increased from 71% in 2014 to 93% in 2020.

The largest remaining location that is not compliant with the Directive is Ringsend, which treats 44% of the country’s wastewater load. To address this, Irish Water is investing over €500 million in the staged upgrading of Ringsend WWTP. This major upgrade, which is now underway, will allow the Ringsend WWTP to treat the increasing volumes of wastewater arriving at the plant to the required standard, enabling future housing and commercial development. The project will deliver, on a phased basis, the capacity to treat the wastewater for a population equivalent of 2.4 million while achieving the standards of the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive. 

Notes

Progress on wastewater in 2020

Key investment projects currently underway:

• Ringsend WWTP: Irish Water is upgrading and expanding the capacity of Ringsend WWTP to deliver, on a phased basis, the capacity to treat the wastewater for a population equivalent of 2.4 million while achieving the standards of the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive. Works are underway to provide infrastructure to achieve compliance with the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive for a population equivalent of 2.1 million in the second half of 2023. When all the proposed works are complete at the end 2025, the Ringsend WWTP will be able to treat wastewater for up to 2.4 million population equivalent while meeting the required standards. Further information is available at https://www.water.ie/projects-plans/ringsend/
• Cork Lower Harbour Drainage Project: Has ended the practice of discharging raw sewage into Cork harbour from the agglomerations of: Ringaskiddy-Crosshaven-Carrigaline; Ringaskiddy village; Passage-Monkstown; Cobh town. The Cork Lower Harbour Main Drainage Project consists of: new WWTP at Shanbally; 15 new pumping stations; upgrading of 4 existing pumping stations; approximately 30km of new sewers; a drilled crossing under the estuary. Further information is available at https://www.water.ie/projects-plans/cork-lower-harbour/
• Arklow WWTP: This project will provide wastewater treatment for n of the largest areas where there is still no wastewater treatment. The plant will serve 36,000 population equivalent. Construction commenced on site in August this year.
• Blanchardstown Regional Drainage Scheme: A strategically important €88 million wastewater infrastructural project including underground storm water management facility, pumping station and wastewater network upgrades which will support existing and future residential and commercial development and will safeguard the environment in Dublin and parts of Meath. Further information is available at https://www.water.ie/projects-plans/blanchardstown-sewer-reha/
• Upper Liffey Valley Sewerage Scheme: Irish Water is investing over €100m in the upgrade of the wastewater infrastructure in the  Upper Liffey Valley catchment  which serves the central Kildare towns of Newbridge, Naas, Clane, Sallins, Kilcullen, Kill, Johnstown, Prosperous, Caragh and parts of the Curragh. An upgrade of the Osbertown WWTP to 130,000PE was completed in 2017 and the Newbridge Interceptor Sewer and pumping stations were completed in 2020.  The final contract is focused on upgrading the existing sewer network serving Newbridge, Naas, Clane, Sallins and Kill,  and involves the construction of wastewater  pumping stations and storage tanks, along with 28 km of new gravity sewers and rising mains. This investment will facilitate existing and future residential and commercial development in Kildare, while at the same time protecting the River Liffey and its environs, which is a major drinking water source for the Greater Dublin Area.
• Greater Dublin Drainage Project: The Greater Dublin Drainage project will develop a new regional wastewater treatment facility and associated infrastructure to serve Dublin and parts of the surrounding counties of Kildare and Meath.  GDD represents the next major step in the development of the wastewater treatment infrastructure in greater Dublin, recognising its continued growth. GDD will provide capacity to treat wastewater for up to half a million people in north county Dublin and parts of Kildare and Meath Further information is available at http://www.greaterdublindrainage.com/
• Ending the discharge of Raw Sewage: Construction starting in at least 14 areas this year including Castletownbere, Arthurstown, Ballyhack, Duncannon (ABD), Liscannor, Kerrykeel, Kilcar, Omeath, Spiddal, Ahascragh, Arklow, Kilrush, Kilmore Quay, Inchigeelagh
• Wastewater Collection Systems: In 2018, the European Commission took Ireland to the Court of Justice of the European Union over concerns about excessive leaks or spills of waste water from 8 collection systems. Off the 8 agglomerations named in the case, works have been completed to resolve issues at two (Ringaskiddy and Enniscortly) and work has progressed on the remaining six in 2020.

         Wastewater infrastructure in Ireland

• Over a billion litres of wastewater are collected every day in Ireland’s public sewers and treated at treatment plants before being released safely back into the environment
• Irish Water treats the wastewater from a population equivalent of 4 million every day – including domestic and non-domestic customers
• We manage approximately 1,060 WWTPs and 26,000 km of sewer network across the country
• In 2014, 44 areas had no wastewater infrastructure and further six were identified subsequently. To date over 60% of these sewage discharges by volume have been eliminated with the construction of new treatment infrastructure.

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