Overview
Thurles Waste Water Treatment Plant serves approximately 11,585 people in County Tipperary, Ireland. The facility discharges into the River Suir, a key tributary of Ireland's southeastern river system.
Thurles Waste Water Treatment Plant is a municipal facility located in Holycross, County Tipperary, Ireland. It serves the town of Thurles and surrounding areas, with a population equivalent of around 11,585 people. The plant is situated in the Munster region, inland from the coast. As an Irish wastewater treatment facility serving a medium-sized agglomeration, the plant operates under the European Union's Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC). This directive requires secondary treatment for discharges into freshwater bodies in non-sensitive areas, which is typical for plants of this scale in Ireland. The plant's treatment process and capacity are aligned with national regulatory standards set by the Irish Environmental Protection Agency. The treated effluent from the plant is discharged into the River Suir, which flows southward through County Tipperary and County Waterford before entering the Celtic Sea via Waterford Harbour. The River Suir supports diverse aquatic life, including salmon and trout populations, and is an important ecological corridor in the region.
Environmental context
The plant discharges into the River Suir, which flows through the Golden Vale region and ultimately reaches the Celtic Sea at Waterford Harbour. The Suir is a designated salmonid river, supporting Atlantic salmon and brown trout, and its estuary provides critical habitat for migratory birds. The plant's discharge must meet water quality standards to protect these ecological values.
Frequently asked questions
The plant is located on the R659 road in Holycross, in the Municipal District of Thurles, County Tipperary, Ireland.
The plant serves approximately 11,585 people in the town of Thurles and surrounding areas in County Tipperary.
The treated effluent is discharged into the River Suir, which flows through County Tipperary and County Waterford before entering the Celtic Sea.
As a plant serving over 10,000 people, it falls under the EU UWWTD, which requires secondary treatment for discharges into freshwater. The Irish Environmental Protection Agency enforces compliance.
Plants of this scale in Ireland typically employ secondary treatment, such as activated sludge or biological filtration, to meet EU standards for organic matter and suspended solids removal.