Compliance with licence discharge requirements
The Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive sets minimum standards for treatment at large urban areas across the European Union. EPA licences issued to Uisce Éireann set site-specific effluent quality standards designed to prevent pollution, achieve at least good status in the receiving waters and prevent any deterioration in existing status. Where necessary to protect the environment, the standards in EPA licences may be stricter and include a broader range of parameters than the minimum standards in the Directive.
In 2024 Uisce Éireann consistently complied with the licence standards at less than half (41%) of licensed sites. Non-compliances at the other sites ranged from occasional, short duration breaches up to persistent or continuous discharges of poorly treated sewage. The main causes of non-compliances were deficient treatment infrastructure and inadequate operation and maintenance of treatment plants.