River Basin Management Plan – Enhanced Ambition Programme
About this programme
Irish Water’s River Basin Management Plan Enhanced Ambition Programme is funded by the European Union under Ireland’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan. This is a €20 million investment which will support the objectives of Ireland’s River Basin Management Plans and improve water quality in rivers. The programme is aimed at ensuring that Irish Water assets are not impacting on the ability of receiving waters to achieve their water quality objectives.
The programme involves:
- The upgrade of 12 Waste Water Treatment Plants (WWTPs)
- Completing feasibility studies for 25 WWTPs
- Undertaking effluent and water quality assessments to quantify improvements needed at these WWTPs
The WWTPs selected for inclusion in the programme have all been identified in Ireland’s draft River Basin Management Plan for Ireland 2022-2027 as causing water quality impacts in the rivers they discharge to.
National Recovery and Resilience Plan
The National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP) has been developed by the Government so that Ireland can access funding under the EU’s Recovery and Resilience Facility. Ireland is expected to receive more than €900 million in grants over the lifetime of the Facility.
The Recovery and Resilience Facility is the largest component of NextGenerationEU, the European Union’s response to the global pandemic. The aim is to help repair the immediate economic and social damage brought about by the pandemic and to prepare for a post-Covid Europe that is greener, more digital, more resilient and fit to face the future.
WWTP Upgrades
The following WWTPs have been selected for upgrade under this programme. They have all been identified as significant pressures (i.e. causing or likely to cause water quality impacts) in the draft River Basin Management Plan for Ireland 2022-2027.
| Tinryland and Kildavin in Co. Carlow | Kilmihil in Co. Clare |
| Ballintra and Pettigo in Co. Donegal | Ballymoe in Co. Galway |
| Kilmaganny in Co. Kilkenny | Galbally in Co. Limerick |
| Cloneygowan in Co. Offaly | Grangemockler in Co. Tipperary |
| Clonea Power in Co. Waterford | Millview (Milltownpass) in Co. Westmeath |
Feasibility Studies
Feasibility studies will be undertaken for the following WWTPs in order to develop an understanding of the impacts of the WWTPs on receiving waters and to identify any improvements needed.
| Nurney in Co. Carlow | Blacklion and Shercock in Co. Cavan |
| Lisdoonvarna in Co. Clare | Ballingeary in Co. Cork |
| Killygordon in. Co. Donegal | Colecot Cottages in Co. Dublin |
| Moycullen In Co. Galway | Abbeydorney in Co. Kerry |
| Ballitore and Coill Dubh in Co. Kildare | Castlecomer in Co. Kilkenny |
| Rathdowney in Co. Laois | Mohill in Co. Leitrim |
| Granard in Co. Longford | Dunleer in Co. Louth |
| Balla, Ballindine and Kilkelly in Co. Mayo | Kilcormac in Co. Offaly |
| Borrisokane and Mullinahone in Co. Tipperary | Ballycanew in Co. Wexford |
| Kilcoole and Kilpeddar in Co. Wicklow |
Monitoring
Sampling and analysis is required to quantify the impact of the WWTPs on the receiving water environment so that improvements needed to address the impact can be determined. This monitoring includes:
- Physico-chemical monitoring – specifically the levels of ammonia, ortho-phosphate and Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) in the rivers upstream and downstream of the WWTP discharges. Comparing the levels upstream and downstream shows whether or not the WWTPs are impacting on river water quality.
- Biological monitoring – specifically macroinvertebrate monitoring in the rivers upstream and downstream of the WWTP discharges. Comparing the results upstream and downstream indicates whether or not the WWTP is have an impact on the biological status of the river.
We will undertake quarterly physico-chemical monitoring and one-off macroinvertebrate monitoring at the following locations relating to the WWTPs included in the programme:
| Wastewater Treatment Plants | Ambient monitoring locations |
|---|---|
| Tinryland, Co. Carlow | Tributary of Burren River |
| Kildavin, Co. Carlow | Kildavin Stream (tributary of River Slaney) |
| Nurney, Co. Carlow | Ballyryan Stream |
| Blacklion, Co. Cavan | Lower Lough Macnean |
| Shercock, Co. Cavan | River Shinan (flows into Lough Sillan) |
| Kilmihil, Co. Clare | Kilmihil Stream (tributary of Doonbeg River) |
| Lisdoonvarna, Co Clare | Aille River |
| Ballingeary, Co. Cork | Tributary of River Lee |
| Ballintra, Co. Donegal | Ballintra River |
| Pettigo, Co. Donegal | Termon River |
| Killygordon, Co. Donegal | River Finn |
| Colecot Cottages, Co. Dublin | Bettyville Stream (tributary of Ballough Stream) |
| Ballymoe, Co. Galway | Island River |
| Moycullen, Co. Galway | Ballyquirke Lough Stream |
| Abbeydorney, Co. Kerry | Boherroe Stream |
| Ballitore, Co. Kildare | Greese River |
| Coill Dubh, Co. Kildare | Tributary of Slate River |
| Castlecomer, Co. Kilkenny | Dinin River |
| Kilmaganny, Co. Kilkenny | Glory River |
| Rathdowney, Co. Laois | Erkina Stream |
| Mohill, Co. Leitrim | River Rinn |
| Galbally, Co. Limerick | Aherlow River |
| Granard, Co. Longford | River Rhine |
| Dunleer, Co. Louth | White River |
| Balla, Co. Mayo | Loughnaminoo Stream |
| Ballindine, Co. Mayo | Ballindine Stream (tributary of Robe River) |
| Kilkelly, Co. Mayo | Trimoge River |
| Cloneygowan, Co. Offaly | Tributary of Cushina River |
| Kilcormac, Co. Offaly | Silver (Kilcormac) River |
| Grangemockler, Co. Tipperary | Lingaun River |
| Borrisokane, Co. Tipperary | Ballyfinboy Stream |
| Mullinahone, Co. Tipperary | Mullinahone Stream |
| Clonea Power, Co. Waterford | Clodiagh River |
| Millview (Milltownpass), Co. Westmeath | Milltown River |
| Ballycanew, Co. Wexford | Owenavorragh River |
| Kilcoole, Co. Wicklow | Kilcoole Stream |
| Kilpeddar, Co. Wicklow | Kilcoole Stream |