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Discharge Licences

Discharges other than domestic wastewater and storm water are licensable under the Local Government Water Pollution Act 1977, as amended

 

Apply for a discharge licence

Local authorities are given powers under the Local Government (Water Pollution) Acts, 1977 & 1990 to control the discharge of effluent to waters.
If the activity causing the discharge does not fall under the remit of the First Schedule of the Environmental Protection Agency Act, 1992 (as amended by the Protection of the Environment Act, 2003) an application for a licence must be made to the local authority in whose functional area the discharge is to occur.
Effluent discharges for which a discharge licence must be obtained under the Local Government (Water Pollution) Act, 1977 are as follows:

  • All domestic wastewater discharges to surface water;
  • All trade effluent discharges to surface water;
  • All discharges of domestic wastewater greater than 5m3 in any period of 24 hours which is discharged to an aquifer (groundwater) from a septic tank or other disposal unit by means of a percolation area, soakage pit or other method;
  • All trade effluent discharges to groundwater;
  • All trade effluent discharges to sewer (application for discharges to public sewers must be made to Uisce Eireann)

Exemptions from requirement to hold a discharge licence

The following discharges are exempt from having to hold a discharge licence under the Local Government (Water Pollution) Act, 1977:

  • Discharges to tidal waters from vessels or marine structures;
  • Discharges from a sewer owned by, vested in or controlled by a Water Services Authority;
  • Discharges exempted from licensing under Regulations made by the Minister in accordance with Section 4(10) of the Local Government (Water Pollution) Act, 1977;
  • Trade effluent discharged by a Water Services Authority in the course of the performance of its powers and duties, other than from a sewer;
  • Domestic sewage not exceeding in volume 5m3 in any period of 24 hours which is discharged to an aquifer from a septic tank or other disposal unit by means of a percolation area, soakage pit or other method (including ICW);
  • The discharge of domestic-type effluent only to sewer;
  • The discharge of storm water only to sewer;
  • Discharges subject to IPPC licensing by the EPA. Such activities are identified in the First Schedule to the Environmental Protection Agency Act, 1992 – 2007

Application for Licence to Discharge Waste Water to Surface Waters

Any person who intends to discharge domestic waste water or trade effluent to surface waters must attain permission to do so from either the Local Authority or the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) before the discharge is commenced.

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