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Sewage enters Shannon estuary - Irish Water failing to treat waste water to EU standards
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THE RECENT EPA report on Urban Waste Water Treatment highlights that “delays in upgrading treatment systems around the country are prolonging risks to the environment and public health”.
Raw sewage from 35 towns and villages flows into our environment every day.
The two areas in County Limerick are Foynes and Glin. Dr Tom Ryan, director of the EPA’s Office of Environmental Enforcement, said “raw sewage discharges pose an unacceptable risk to the environment and public health”.
“Two years ago, Irish Water advised it would provide necessary treatment infrastructure by the end of 2021 for 30 of the 35 areas discharging raw sewage. It has now revised this down to just two areas, resulting in significant delays in bringing projects to completion.
Water quality issues remain in Kildare catchements says Environmental Protection Agency
Further reductions in nitrogen will also be achieved with other planned waster water plant upgrades
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Nutrient concentrations in waters are too high and the trends are going in the wrong direction, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says in a new Water Quality Indicators Report 2019 which provides an assessment on Ireland’s surface water and groundwater quality.
It says that agriculture impacts on over half (53%) of the 1,460 water bodies at risk of not meeting their environmental objectives and urban waste water impacts on 22%.
Just over half of Irish surface waters are in a satisfactory condition.