LIMERICK was among 10 areas across Ireland that failed to meet EU standards in protecting the environment when it comes to wastewater treatment.
That’s according to the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) annual Urban Wastewater Treatment report, which found that 10 urban centres across Ireland failed to meet EU standards last year.
The report found that Limerick City’s wastewater treatment fell short of EU standards set out in the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive.
In addition, two areas in County Limerick were still discharging raw sewage into seas and rivers in mid-2024.
The EPA found that Uisce Éireann is implementing plans to bring six of the 10 areas that failed to reach EU standards into compliance, but said that the utility “should accelerate the pace at which this work is being delivered”.
Glin and Foynes were both found to be discharging raw sewage into fresh water, creating an “unacceptable risk to the environment and public health”, according to the EPA report.
Both Foynes and Glin are set to receive wastewater treatment plants by 2028.
All deficient wastewater works must be brought up to standard, the EPA warned, with Uisce Éireann indicating this could take up to 20 years.
“Uisce Éireann must ensure discharges from all treatment plants consistently meet these standards and must bring all storm water overflows up to standard,” the EPA report dictated.
Other areas across Ireland that failed to reach EU standards, according to the EPA report, included Ballina/Killaloe, Lahinch, Rathcormack, Cloyne, Aughrim, Arklow, Dublin, and Malahide.
