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Project title

De-sludging rates and mechanisms for domestic wastewater treatment system sludges in Ireland

Primary Funding Agency

Environmental Protection Agency

Co-Funding Organisation(s)

n/a

Lead Organisation

University of Dublin, Trinity College (TCD)

Lead Applicant

Laurence Gill

Project Abstract

The project will provide independent evidence of the necessity to operate and manage domestic wastewater treatment systems (DWWTS), including the appropriate de-sludging frequency; the proper de-sludging mechanisms; as well as associated costs of proper operation and maintenance of systems to provide advice to homeowners on how to comply with the Water Services Act 2007 and Water Services (Amendment) Act, 2012. This will feed directly into the outreach plan to rural dwellers as currently being developed by the NIECE Engagement Strategy Working Group. This will be achieved by a combination of international best practice review as well as analysis of existing data from previous research studies in Ireland of 20 field studies by the TCD research group. The project will then also target additional field study derived information to provide baseline information to back up the previous guidelines as well as to feed into a strategic assessment of DWWT sludge management for Ireland. The proposal therefore is to: quantify sludge accumulation rates in existing DWWTS; quantify greenhouse gas emissions from DWWTS (currently being carried out by a parallel project); and then develop a geospatial decision support tool model in order to compare different strategic options for DWWTS sludge management in Ireland. The research project will produce clear Guidelines on the appropriate operation and maintenance requirements for DWWTS for the NIECE Working Group within 6 months. It will also produce a Final report and 2-page summary report for the EPA. The project will also generate new field data on DWWTS sludge accumulation rates, heavy metal contents and greenhouse gas emission from the systems. A GIS based decision support tool will be developed and geodatabase in order to compare different strategic options for DWWTS sludge management in Ireland. It is expected that at least 2 peer reviewed papers in highly ranked international journals (including one as open access) will be produced. Also, the information gained during the project will be disseminated by a range of different activities (apart from the ongoing activities of the NIECE Working Group) such as input into national media such as articles for the GSI newsletter, the Farmers Journal, presentations to both national (e.g. IAH and IOWA annual conferences) and international conferences, as well as being included in presentations to school children as part of the government�s Smart Futures initiative.

Grant Approved

�74,245.10

Research Hub

Natural Environment

Research Theme

Innovative water technologies

Start Date

31/01/2017

Initial Projected Completion Date

30/01/2018