Overview
Kinnegad Waste Water Treatment Plant serves the town of Kinnegad in County Westmeath, Ireland. It treats wastewater from approximately 5,200 people before discharging into the local water environment.
Kinnegad Waste Water Treatment Plant is a municipal facility located in Kinnegad, County Westmeath, in the Irish midlands. The plant serves a population of around 5,200 people, making it a small-to-medium agglomeration under Irish and EU classifications. It is situated inland, away from coastal areas, and its treated effluent flows into the River Boyne catchment, which drains into the Irish Sea. As an Irish wastewater treatment plant, Kinnegad operates under the European Union Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which requires secondary treatment for agglomerations of this size. The plant's treatment processes are designed to meet the standards set by the Irish Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which oversees compliance with the directive. The plant is expected to provide at least secondary treatment to protect the receiving waters. The plant discharges into the local river system, part of the Boyne catchment, which supports diverse aquatic life and is an important ecological corridor. The River Boyne is known for its salmon and trout populations and flows into the Irish Sea near Drogheda. The treatment plant plays a key role in maintaining water quality in this sensitive freshwater environment.
Environmental context
Kinnegad Waste Water Treatment Plant discharges into the River Boyne catchment, which flows through County Meath and into the Irish Sea at Drogheda. The Boyne is a designated salmonid river, supporting Atlantic salmon and brown trout, and its estuary is an important habitat for migratory birds. The plant's treated effluent must meet strict nutrient and oxygen-demand standards to protect this ecologically sensitive waterway from eutrophication and other pollution impacts.
Frequently asked questions
The plant is located in Kinnegad, County Westmeath, in the Irish midlands, approximately 60 km west of Dublin.
The plant serves a population of approximately 5,213 people, classifying it as a small-to-medium agglomeration under EU guidelines.
The plant discharges treated effluent into the local river system, which is part of the River Boyne catchment. The Boyne flows into the Irish Sea near Drogheda.
The plant operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which requires secondary treatment for agglomerations of this size. Compliance is enforced by the Irish Environmental Protection Agency.
Under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive, plants serving between 2,000 and 10,000 people typically require secondary treatment, which includes biological processes to remove organic matter and nutrients.
Nearby plants