Wastewater progress gains momentum with €454m investment and 93% of plants now compliant

Cleaner rivers, healthier beaches and coastlines, and improved wastewater services for communities across Ireland are among the benefits being delivered through Uisce Éireann’s continued investment and expertise in wastewater treatment.

The latest Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Urban Wastewater Treatment report highlights the significant progress made in 2025, which means that 93% of our wastewater treatment plants are compliant with EU standards.

To date, Uisce Éireann has delivered new wastewater infrastructure or has construction underway in 41 towns and villages where raw sewage was being discharged to the environment.

Last year alone we invested €454m in wastewater services.

While these achievements are making a real difference for communities and the environment, we know there is more work to do. We remain focused on addressing challenges, investing where it is needed most, and delivering the improvements that communities expect and deserve.

2025 marked an important year, with a €550m upgrade of the Ringsend Wastewater Treatment Plant among the highlights. That work has enabled development across the Greater Dublin Area and protected the waters of Dublin Bay.  

In the heart of the country, we completed construction works on the Athlone Main Drainage Scheme, a landmark €114m project which ended a decades-long issue of sewage overflowing into the town and the River Shannon during heavy rainfall.  

In the south-west the €21m upgrade of Macroom Wastewater Treatment Plant was progressed.

During the past year we also ended the discharge of raw sewage at Rathmullen and Ramelton in Co Donegal, Ballycotton and Whitegate-Aghada in Co Cork, and Arklow in Co Wicklow.

Those projects represent just some of the ways we are helping to build more resilient wastewater services for communities throughout Ireland.  

The 2025 wastewater investment of €454.4m represents an increase of more than €120m since 2020 when €333m was invested. This brings the total investment since then to more than €2.5bn which has helped to modernise services.

Niall Horgan, Wastewater Compliance Senior Manager, knows communities across Ireland expect and deserve wastewater services that protect the environment, support local development and help safeguard our waterways.  

“Our wastewater treatment plants and services are so important to people’s quality of life and that’s what drives our work every day.  

“We have made significant progress in recent years, but we know there is more to do. We are continuing to invest in communities right across the country, modernising wastewater services, protecting local waterway and ensuring communities can grow and thrive while safeguarding the environment.”  

He also acknowledged the EPA’s concerns about operational incidents. Many of these issues are linked to the age and condition of parts of the wastewater system, which in some areas were not designed to meet the demands placed on the network today. Addressing these challenges is a priority, but upgrading infrastructure on this scale takes time.

Much of Ireland’s wastewater infrastructure has been in place for decades and requires significant investment and modernisation. The network is extensive, serving communities across the country through more than 1,000 wastewater treatment plants, 2,300 pumping stations and over 26,000 kilometres of wastewater pipes.

As well as infrastructural upgrades new organisational structures have been designed to strengthen operational oversight, improve incident response, and enhance long-term resilience of our assets.  

But we need the public’s help in playing their part to protect the wastewater network.  

“Unfortunately, one of the challenges we continue to face, and we saw a number of these incidents in 2025, is the disposal of inappropriate materials into our wastewater network. Simple actions at home and in businesses can make a real difference. Fats, oils, grease and other unsuitable materials can cause blockages and put additional pressure on the wastewater network. Disposing of these items correctly helps protect our infrastructure and allows us to focus our resources on maintaining and improving services for communities," explained Niall.  

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