Kilrea Wastewater Treatment Plant, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland

Kilrea wastewater treatment plant is located on Bann Road in the village of Kilrea, within the Causeway Coast and Glens District of County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. The plant serves a population of approximately 2,799 residents and operates under the regulatory framework of the United Kingdom, which implements the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) through domestic legislation. The plant provides secondary treatment, the standard required for inland freshwater discharges under the Directive for agglomerations of this size. With a designed capacity of 3,000 cubic meters per day and an average discharge volume of 623 cubic meters per day, the facility operates well within its capacity, indicating headroom for future growth or seasonal variations. Treated effluent from Kilrea is discharged into the River Bann catchment, which flows northward through Lough Neagh and eventually into the Atlantic Ocean via the Bann Estuary. The River Bann supports diverse aquatic life and is an important resource for local agriculture and recreation. The plant's secondary treatment helps protect water quality in this sensitive riverine environment.

The plant discharges into the River Bann catchment, which drains into Lough Neagh, the largest freshwater lake in the British Isles, before flowing to the Atlantic Ocean via the Bann Estuary. The River Bann supports salmon and trout populations and is an important migratory corridor for eels. Secondary treatment reduces organic pollutants and nutrients, helping to maintain the ecological health of this downstream water body chain.