Irish Water has 'no clear plan' to deal with raw sewage in 34 towns and villages 

Ten of the towns and villages in question are not scheduled to receive treatment until 2025 and two are likely to continue discharging untreated sewage until 2027. File picture

Irish Water has "no clear action plan" to deal with concerns arising from the 34 towns and villages which continue to discharge raw sewage into the environment every day.

A new report from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has criticised the slow progress made by Irish Water in carrying out essential improvements in wastewater treatment.

The agency said repeated delays in providing treatment in many areas were a significant concern as the delays prolong risks to both the environment and public health.

In its report on Urban Waste Water Treatment in 2020, released on Wednesday, the EPA said it required Irish Water to improve treatment at 97 priority areas.

Ten of the towns and villages in question are not scheduled to receive treatment until 2025 and two are likely to continue discharging untreated sewage until 2027.

The report states: "Even when funding is available, for example, to stop discharges of raw sewage, Irish Water has repeatedly revised and extended the timeframes to provide treatment."

The EPA said the delays were unacceptable and called on the water utility to provide site-specific action plans and timeframes to carry out the necessary work.

Just under 60% of improvement works that were due to be carried out by the end of 2020 have been completed, with 230 individual works more than five years overdue.

Based on current investment levels and rates of delivery, the EPA estimates it will take two decades to fix all of the problems identified.

It is 15 years since the European Union introduced mandatory standards for the treatment of wastewater in large urban areas, and Ireland failed to comply with those standards in 12 areas in 2020.

Five areas in Cork fail to comply with standards

Five of these areas are located in Co Cork – Cork City, Cobh, Ringaskiddy-Crosshaven-Carrigaline, Rathcormac, and Mitchelstown – however, Cobh has since been connected to a treatment plant.

Of the remaining areas three are in Co Clare (Shannon, Ennis South and Lahinch), two are in Dublin (Ringsend and Malahide) and one is in Wicklow (Arklow).

Among the 12 areas which failed to comply with EU standards is the Ringsend treatment plant in Dublin, which is a particular cause for concern as almost half of Ireland's urban wastewater was conveyed here for treatment last year.

A major upgrade and expansion of the Ringsend plant is ongoing and is expected to be completed in 2025.

Wednesday's report warned that Ireland risks substantial fines from the Court of Justice of the European Union unless improvements are not completed promptly.

Sewers servicing seven priority areas must be brought up to EU standards after the court declared in 2019 that Ireland had failed to ensure wastewater collected in these systems was retained and conveyed for treatment.

27 bathing water incidents

In 2020, wastewater caused 27 bathing water incidents, most of which were associated with discharge from sewers.

Wastewater discharges can also have a detrimental impact on sea life, with the report highlighting the dangers posed to shellfish and pearl mussels which are globally endangered molluscs.

The EPA report highlights some of the positive achievements over the past year, including an increase in the number of large towns complying with the EU treatment standards.

Last year, Irish Water reused most of the 58,448 tonnes of sewage sludge removed from its treatment plants as a soil enhancer or fertiliser on agricultural land.