Overview
Letterkenny Waste Water Treatment Plant serves the Letterkenny Municipal District in County Donegal, Ireland. It treats wastewater from approximately 24,000 people, operating under EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive standards.
Letterkenny Waste Water Treatment Plant is located in the Castlewray ED area of Letterkenny Municipal District, County Donegal, in the Ulster province of Ireland. The plant serves a population of approximately 23,982 people, making it a medium-sized agglomeration under Irish and EU classifications. As an Irish wastewater treatment facility, the plant operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which requires secondary treatment for agglomerations of this size. Ireland's Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) oversees compliance, ensuring that discharges meet quality standards to protect receiving waters. The plant's treatment processes are expected to align with these regulatory requirements. The treated effluent from the plant is discharged into the local catchment, which ultimately drains into Lough Swilly, a large sea lough on the north coast of Ireland. Lough Swilly supports diverse aquatic life, including salmon and sea trout, and is an important ecological and recreational resource. The plant's operations are critical to maintaining water quality in this sensitive coastal environment.
Environmental context
The plant discharges into the Lough Swilly catchment, a large sea lough on Ireland's north coast. Lough Swilly is a designated shellfish water and supports important fisheries, including Atlantic salmon and sea trout. Its waters eventually mix with the North Atlantic Ocean, making the plant's treatment performance vital for protecting both local biodiversity and downstream marine ecosystems.
Frequently asked questions
The plant is located in the Castlewray ED area of Letterkenny Municipal District, County Donegal, in the Ulster province of Ireland.
The plant serves approximately 23,982 people, classifying it as a medium-sized agglomeration under EU and Irish wastewater regulations.
Treated effluent from the plant is discharged into the local catchment, which drains into Lough Swilly, a large sea lough on Ireland's north coast.
As an Irish plant, it operates under the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC), which mandates secondary treatment for agglomerations of this size. Compliance is overseen by Ireland's Environmental Protection Agency.
Under the EU UWWTD, agglomerations between 10,000 and 150,000 population equivalent typically require secondary treatment, unless discharging into sensitive areas where tertiary treatment may be needed.