Wastewater failures persist as EPA calls for urgent action
Three Cavan towns have failed to meet EU treatment standards and five local areas identified among EPA national wastewater priorities
Wastewater treatment failures continue to pose significant environmental risks in Cavan and Monaghan, with three Cavan towns failing to meet European Union treatment standards and five local areas identified among the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) national wastewater priorities.
The EPA’s Urban Wastewater Treatment Report 2025, published last week, highlights ongoing concerns about the impact of inadequately treated sewage on rivers, lakes and other waterways, warning that improvements are not being delivered quickly enough to address the environmental risks.
Ballyconnell, Bailieborough and Kingscourt were among 13 large urban areas nationwide that failed to meet EU wastewater treatment standards in 2025, down from 14 in the previous year. Virginia, which failed to meet the standards in 2024, achieved compliance in 2025 and was consequently removed from the EPA’s priority areas.
The report identifies Bailieborough, Blacklion, Carrickmacross, Castleblayney and Mullagh among 35 priority areas nationwide where wastewater discharges are considered the main pressure on local water bodies. While wastewater is often not the only source of pollution, the agency says urgent corrective action is needed to protect and restore affected waters.
Across the five priority areas, wastewater infrastructure improvements were advised: Upgrades at Castleblayney have been completed, with their environmental outcomes now being assessed. Infrastructure works are underway in Carrickmacross (to be concluded in 2027) and improvements are also underway in Bailieborough (completion expected in 2029).
However, the outlook is less certain for Blacklion and Mullagh, where improvements have not yet started and are not currently scheduled for completion before 2030.
The EPA warns that delays are prolonging the impact of wastewater discharges on local water quality, with improvements at 26 of the 35 national priority areas still not started.
Across Ireland, 55% of licensed treatment plants discharged wastewater that did not consistently meet the treatment and effluent quality standards required to prevent pollution. The EPA said failures were caused almost equally by deficient infrastructure and inadequate operation and maintenance, highlighting the need for better management of existing treatment plants alongside long-term investment.
The agency is calling on Uisce Éireann to address operational problems without delay, improve staff training and support, and introduce effective preventative maintenance.
Niall Horgan, Wastewater Compliance Senior Manager with Uisce Éireann, recognised the scale of the challenge while highlighting betterment: "We have made significant progress in recent years, but we know there is more to do. We are continuing to invest in communities right across the country, modernising wastewater services, protecting local waterway and ensuring communities can grow and thrive while safeguarding the environment."
He acknowledged the EPA’s concerns about operational incidents, explaining that many are linked to the age and condition of wastewater infrastructure, which in some areas was not designed to meet current demands. Mr Horgan said upgrading infrastructure on this scale takes time, while new organisational structures have been introduced to strengthen operational oversight, improve incident response and enhance long-term resilience.
Fatbergs
He also appealed to the public to help protect the wastewater network by disposing of unsuitable materials correctly: "Unfortunately, one of the challenges we continue to face, and we saw a number of these incidents in 2025, is the disposal of inappropriate materials into our wastewater network," he said.
"Fats, oils, grease and other unsuitable materials can cause blockages and put additional pressure on the wastewater network. Disposing of these items correctly helps protect our infrastructure and allows us to focus our resources on maintaining and improving services for communities."
The EPA carried out 287 wastewater enforcement inspections in 2025 and has secured 35 successful prosecutions against Uisce Éireann for breaches of wastewater discharge authorisations, including seven in the past year.
The agency says sustained investment and faster delivery of infrastructure improvements will be essential to ensure wastewater is properly treated and local waterways are protected.