Small Wastewater Treatment Plants National Plan

Have Your Say

We are developing a new national plan for wastewater treatment plants serving smaller communities across Ireland and we want to hear your views.

The Small Wastewater Treatment Plants National Plan: Supporting Communities while Protecting our Natural Environment will guide how wastewater treatment plants serving small communities of less than 1,000 population equivalent (PE) are planned, assessed and managed into the future.

These wastewater treatment plants support homes, businesses and community life across Ireland. They also play an important role in protecting our rivers, lakes, estuaries and coastal waters.

This is an early-stage consultation seeking views on the Issues Paper and supporting environmental documents that will inform development of the draft National Plan.

Small wastewater treatment plants are found in communities throughout Ireland.

While each plant serves a relatively small population, small wastewater treatment plants represent the majority of wastewater treatment plants operated by Uisce Éireann by number. Many face similar challenges, including ageing infrastructure, environmental pressures, increasing demand for capacity and complex delivery processes that can make upgrades difficult and time-consuming.

Uisce Éireann is responsible for over 1,000 wastewater treatment plants across Ireland, including approximately 800 small wastewater treatment plants serving communities of less than 1,000 PE.

Historically, improvements have often been considered on a site-by-site basis. This Plan aims to move towards a more coordinated and evidence-based national approach.  

The Plan will help: 

• Protect and improve water quality. 
• Support long-term planning for sustainable growth while protecting the environment. 
• Identify where upgrades are most needed. 
• Focus investment where it can deliver the greatest benefit. 
• Provide a transparent and nationally consistent framework for decision-making. 

We have developed a Scoping Leaflet for the Small Wastewater Treatment Plants National Plant. View the Leaflet here.

The Plan will consider wastewater treatment plants serving communities of less than 1,000 population equivalent (PE) across Ireland. It will use information on how small wastewater treatment plants are currently performing, the capacity they have available, the condition of the rivers, lakes, estuaries or coastal waters that receive their discharges, and the environmental objectives of those receiving waters. 

• Current plant performance. 
• Available treatment capacity. 
• Water quality and environmental conditions. 
• Future development needs. 
• Environmental objectives and legal requirements.

This information will help identify where problems arise, where upgrades or transfers may be needed, and where investment can have the greatest benefit for communities and the environment, with consideration for projects already underway.

We have published an Issues Paper, a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Scoping Report and an Appropriate Assessment (AA) Screening Report to support the development of the Small Wastewater Treatment Plants National Plan.

Together, these documents explain the key challenges facing wastewater services in small communities, outline the environmental considerations that will help shape the Plan, and provide an opportunity for stakeholders to help inform its development from the earliest stage. Feedback received during this consultation will help us better understand local issues, environmental priorities and community needs as we prepare the draft Plan.

We want your views

We encourage you to review these documents before making a submission. Whether your interest is in local communities, environmental protection, future growth, water quality or infrastructure planning, your feedback will help shape the development of the Small Wastewater Treatment Plants National Plan.

Protecting water quality and the environment is at the heart of this work.

The Small Wastewater Treatment Plants National Plan: Supporting Communities while Protecting our Natural Environment will be developed in line with Irish and European environmental law, including requirements designed to protect water quality, habitats and wildlife. This will help ensure that the Plan supports national and international environmental objectives while providing a clearer and more consistent basis for future upgrades to small wastewater treatment plants.