Uisce Éireann plays its part in protecting bathing water quality through investment in essential wastewater infrastructure nationwide

Information below is relevant until further updates are provided here or on our Supply and Service Updates section

Uisce Éireann, the national water utility, is committed to continuously maintaining, upgrading, and developing critical water and wastewater infrastructure to protect and enhance the environment while enabling communities to thrive. With over 1000 wastewater treatment plants and 26,000 km of public sewers, Uisce Éireann treats 1.2 billion litres of wastewater every day before safely returning it to the environment. 

While primary responsibility for the monitoring and managing of bathing waters lies with local authorities, Uisce Éireann recognises that its activities can impact bathing waters in some locations. Other contributory factors impacting bathing water quality can include dog and bird faeces, runoff from roads, upstream agriculture and forestry, misconnections, and septic tanks.  

Uisce Éireann works to ensure that its assets do not negatively impact bathing water at designated locations and that they operate in compliance with the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive, the Bathing Water regulations and any further standards as licensed by the EPA.    

We are continuing to work proactively with all stakeholders to support improvements in bathing water quality, protecting and enhancing our coastal and inland waterways in collaboration with the other agencies with responsibility in this area – the local authorities, EPA, HSE, and industry and academic partners.  Uisce Éireann is participating in the National Bathing Water Expert Group and the Dublin Bay Bathing Water Taskforce.    

The utility's investment in essential infrastructure, exceeding €1.3 billion last year, has led to significant improvements in wastewater compliance. This includes the elimination of 85% of raw sewage discharge since 2014 by building new treatment plants in 35 towns and villages where none previously existed. In addition to these completed sites, we currently have 6 locations under construction across the country. 

2024 saw improvements in bathing water quality nationwide with 122 of the designated beaches achieving excellent bathing water classification, the highest number since the excellent classification was introduced in 2014.     

The completion of the new treatment plant in Spiddal, Co Galway in December 2023, resulting in the elimination of raw sewage discharge and has significantly improved bathing water quality as recognised in this year's report with all samples taken in 2024 achieving excellent bathing water quality.  

Niall Horgan, Uisce Éireann’s Wastewater Compliance Senior Manager, said: “As the EPA has noted, urban wastewater treatment is just one of many elements that affect bathing water quality. However, the positive impact of our investment in wastewater is evident around the country with continued improvements in water quality in several locations where Uisce Éireann has completed upgrade projects to end raw sewage discharges, such as in Spiddal in Co Galway."

“We will continue to play our part in protecting and enhancing our coastal and inland waterways in collaboration with the other agencies with responsibility in this area. We are also working to increase understanding of how public wastewater networks operate and the different pressures on bathing waters such as dog fouling and sewer-related litter, through partnerships with various stakeholders including UCD’s Acclimatize Project and the Clean Coasts Think Before You Flush/Pour campaign.” 

More severe rainfall events are leading to more storm water overflow events. This extreme weather brings many challenges for water and wastewater network. To mitigate the impact of this, Uisce Éireann has plans in place to upgrade infrastructure across the country and we continue to work with all stakeholders to protect and enhance our coasts and waterways.   

Last year the utility invested over €1.3 billion to upgrade Ireland’s critical water and wastewater infrastructure. This included the continued investmentat Ireland’s largest wastewater treatment plant in Ringsend. By the end of 2025, the Ringsend Wastewater Treatment Plant will be able to treat wastewater for a 2.4 million population equivalent while meeting the required standards, with all remaining ancillary works completed in 2026. Other key projects completed during 2024 included new or upgraded wastewater treatment plants in Kilrush, Boherbue, Ballina, Carrickmacross, Stamullen, Cahir, while works to eliminate raw sewage discharges were completed in in Coolatee (Donegal) and Omeath (Louth) and Castlebellingham.