Ireland Faces EU Court Referral Over Urban Waste Water Treatment Failures
Ireland referred to EU court over waste water treatment failures in 8 locations; faces financial sanctions after failing to meet 2019 compliance deadline.
The European Commission has referred Ireland back to the Court of Justice of the European Union for failing to comply with a 2019 judgment on urban waste water treatment, with eight agglomerations still in breach of EU environmental standards.
The Commission announced today that Ireland will face potential financial sanctions for its continued non-compliance with the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive in eight locations across the country. The original judgment in case C-427/17, delivered on 28 March 2019, found Ireland in breach of requirements affecting 28 agglomerations.
While Irish authorities have resolved compliance issues in 20 of these locations since the 2019 judgment, the Commission considers progress on the remaining eight agglomerations insufficient. Untreated urban waste water poses significant risks to human health and can pollute lakes, rivers, soil, coastal waters and groundwater.
The Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive requires EU member states to collect and treat urban waste water before environmental discharge. Under the directive, collecting systems must be in place for agglomerations with populations of 2,000 or more, with secondary treatment required before discharge.
In six of the eight non-compliant agglomerations, Ireland has failed to ensure that overflows from urban waste water collecting systems are sufficiently controlled and appropriately treated. In the remaining two agglomerations, Ireland has failed to ensure urban waste water receives secondary treatment or equivalent processing before discharge.
Additionally, at least one of these eight agglomerations continues to discharge urban waste water into a sensitive area without the more stringent treatment required for zones vulnerable to eutrophication, where nitrates and phosphorus can act as fertilisers and damage water quality.
The Commission sent Ireland a formal notice under Article 260(2) TFEU on 14 November 2024, warning of the escalation. Today's referral to the Court of Justice includes a request for financial sanctions to be imposed on the Irish state.
The case highlights ongoing challenges in Ireland's water infrastructure investment and environmental compliance, with implications for water quality standards across the country.
