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Tankered wastewater

This is wastewater that is not discharged into the public wastewater system. Instead it is collected and transported by tanker to a suitable wastewater treatment plant. There it will be treated before reentering the environment.

Suitable wastewater treatment plants

Tankered Wastewater can only be accepted at a wastewater treatment plant if there is sufficient capacity and infrastructure in place. We also need to ensure there is no negative impact posed by the wastewater on both the wastewater treatment process and the receiving environment.

The types of wastewater may include:

  • Commercial / industrial wastewater
  • Landfill leachate
  • Municipal wastewater from private sources

Conditions of Acceptance

Tankered wastewater can only be accepted at a wastewater treatment plant if it is suitable for biological treatment and there is sufficient capacity and infrastructure in place to receive and treat the wastewater. Uisce Éireann needs to ensure there is no negative impact posed by the tankered wastewater to:

The quality of the treated effluent and sludge from the receiving wastewater treatment plant

The treatment process at the receiving wastewater treatment plant

The health and safety of employees and the public

The environment

Tankered Wastewater Agreements

If you are a producer or haulier of tankered wastewater, you will need authorisation to import that waste into an Uisce Éireann wastewater treatment plant. This is granted through a Tankered Wastewater Agreement. This applies to:

  • Waste collection permit holders - for imports of septic tank sludge from domestic households
  • Producers of wastewater - for all other types of tankered waste

Sludge Letter of Authorisation

Application for a Letter of Authorisation for a Haulier to tanker Uisce Éireann sludge to an Uisce Éireann wastewater treatment plant.

Permit updates

In order to add an Uisce Éireann wastewater treatment plant to your Waste Collection Permit, a Letter of Authorisation must be provided to the National Waste Collection Permit Office. With the exception of Uisce Éireann Sludge, a Tankered Wastewater Agreement must be in place before we supply a Letter of Authorisation.