Doneraile Wastewater Treatment Plant - Municipal Facility in County Cork, Ireland

Doneraile Wastewater Treatment Plant is a municipal facility located in Doneraile, County Cork, Ireland. The plant serves a population of around 2,543 residents in this rural town within the Munster region. As a small agglomeration, it plays a key role in managing local wastewater and protecting water quality in the surrounding area. The plant operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC). For agglomerations of this size (under 10,000 population equivalent), the directive requires appropriate treatment to meet receiving water quality standards. The plant's designed capacity is 1.00 (likely in thousand cubic meters per day or similar unit), indicating a modest scale. The treated effluent is discharged into local watercourses that ultimately drain into the River Blackwater catchment, one of Ireland's major river systems. The Blackwater flows southward through County Cork and enters the Celtic Sea near Youghal. The plant's operation helps maintain the ecological health of this important river system, which supports diverse aquatic life and is used for recreation and agriculture.

The plant discharges into the River Blackwater catchment, which flows through County Cork and empties into the Celtic Sea at Youghal. The Blackwater is a designated salmonid river and supports populations of Atlantic salmon, brown trout, and other freshwater species. The catchment is also important for migratory birds and maintains wetland habitats along its course. Proper wastewater treatment is essential to prevent nutrient enrichment and protect this ecologically sensitive river system.