Uisce Eireann operating waste water plant without licence
Irish Water has been operating the Kells Waste Water Treatment plant without a licence.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has confirmed that, as of 10th January 2025, they had not yet received an application for a review of wastewater discharge licence.
An EPA spokesperson said that Uisce Eireann had indicated in early December that an application would be submitted in early 2025. "The EPA will continue to engage, as appropriate, with Uisce Eireann on this matter."
Following a wastewater licence examination in May last year an EPA inspector reported that the licence does not satisfy the environmental requirement of the Waste Water Discharge Authorisation regulations as there has been a material change in the extent of the discharge to which the licence relates as a result of an increase in treatment capacity since the grant of licence and because the licence is over three years old.
On 28th May last the EPA wrote to Irish water indicating that it intended to carry out a review of the licence and said Irish Water should submit a completed application form within six months and failure to do so would be an offence.
The EPA confirmed no application had been received by last Friday.
As regards capacity for further development in Kells, a spokesperson for the EPA said "the current capacity of the Kells Wastewater Treatment Plant is 9,800 population equivalent (pe). "Uisce Éireann confirmed in the the Annual Environmental Report for 2023, available on Leap Online that the collected load in the peak week in 2023 was 8,347 pe and that there is a remaining capacity in the system for 1,453 pe.
"The Planning Authority is the regulator responsible for the assessment of applications for planning permission for any new development in the agglomeration inclusive of any confirmation required from Usice Éireann such as the Pre-Connection Enquiry Form which confirms whether Uisce Éireann considers the proposed domestic connection feasible."
A spokesperson for Meath County Council said it was a matter for Uisce Éireann and the Environmental Protection Agency.
Uisce Eireann were approached for comment.