Overview
Ballybay Waste water treatment plant serves 2,461 people in County Monaghan, Ireland. The facility discharges into local waterways under Irish EPA regulations.
Ballybay Waste water treatment plant is a municipal facility located in The Alders, Ballybay, County Monaghan, Ireland. It serves a population of approximately 2,461 residents in the Ballybay-Clones Municipal District area. The plant is situated inland, more than 50 km from the coast, and treats wastewater from the local community. As a small agglomeration under Irish regulations, the plant is subject to the requirements of the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC). For populations under 2,000, secondary treatment is typically required, while for those between 2,000 and 10,000, appropriate treatment must be provided based on the sensitivity of the receiving waters. It operates under the oversight of the Irish Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which issues discharge licenses and monitors compliance. The treated effluent from the plant is discharged into local watercourses that drain into the River Erne catchment, which flows northward into Lough Erne in Northern Ireland and eventually to the Atlantic Ocean via the River Foyle. The surrounding area is primarily rural with agricultural land use, and the receiving waters support aquatic life and are part of a broader ecosystem that includes important bird habitats and fisheries.
Environmental context
The plant discharges into the River Erne catchment, which flows through County Monaghan into Lough Erne in Northern Ireland and then to the Atlantic Ocean via the River Foyle. The catchment supports diverse aquatic life, including salmonid fisheries and populations of otters and waterbirds. The area is ecologically sensitive due to its role in maintaining water quality for downstream habitats and recreational uses.
Frequently asked questions
The plant is located in The Alders, Ballybay, County Monaghan, Ireland, in the Ballybay-Clones Municipal District.
The plant serves approximately 2,461 people in the Ballybay area.
The treated effluent is discharged into local watercourses that are part of the River Erne catchment, which flows into Lough Erne and eventually the Atlantic Ocean.
As an Irish wastewater treatment plant, it operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) and is regulated by the Irish Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which issues discharge licenses.
For agglomerations between 2,000 and 10,000 population equivalent, the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive requires appropriate treatment, which may include secondary treatment or more advanced processes depending on the sensitivity of the receiving waters.