Water

Receiving water impact assessments

ECOFACT is currently preparing receiving water impact assessment reports for the wastewater treatment plants serving the towns of Abbeyleix, Rathdowney, Durrow, Mountrath, Mountmellick, Portarlington, Ballylynan, Stradbally, Borris-on-Ossory, Ballinakill, Ballyroan, Castletown and Clonaslee in County Laois. The studies include chemical and biological water quality assessments both upstream and downstream of the plants and the preparation of waste assimilation capacity (WAC) models for the receiving waters. The purpose of the reports will be to assess whether the existing waste water discharge(s) from the plants are having a significant adverse impact on the receiving waters, or any Natura 2000 Site. The reports will also recommend design standards necessary for proposed plants to ensure WFD compliance.

Sewage treatment plant modelling

We have recently prepared receiving water quality impact simulations for a number of proposed waste water treatment plants. These proposed plants included Mountrath on the River Nore catchment in County Laois, Clara on the River Brosna in County Offaly and Mountbellew in the Suck catchment in County Galway. The models prepared have allowed the design parameters proposed for the plants to be reconsidered at the early planning stage to ensure that the receiving waters can maintain 'good ecological status' in the future.

Hydrology studies

We recently prepared hydrology assessments for streams adjoining quarries in Counties Limerick and Cork. The DWF, 95 percentile and 100 year flood flow in these streams were estimated based on on-site measurements and catchment extrapolations. The impact of proposed discharges into the streams was assessed in relation to channel conveyance capacity and waste assimilation capacity.