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Application of On-Site Wastewater Treatment in Ireland and Perspectives on Its Sustainability

Author

Listed:
  • Donata Dubber

    (Department of Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland)

  • Laurence Gill

    (Department of Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland)

Abstract

The wastewater of one third of Ireland’s population is treated on-site using domestic treatment systems (DWWTSs) that usually consist of a septic tank and soil attenuation system. Within the past four years, the legislative framework for these systems has undergone a major change with a registration and inspection regime being introduced to identify legacy sites that will require remediation work, particularly in areas of the country underlain by subsoils of very low permeability. Against this background this study aims to assess the overall sustainability of existing DWWTSs as well as alternative treatment and disposal options. The results show that main CO 2eq emissions are from the methane production in septic tanks. The reduced methane production in mechanically aerated secondary treatment systems was found to counterbalance the related emissions due to the additional energy requirements. In contrast, septic tank systems have the lowest construction and operational costs representing the most economically sustainable solution. Pressurised disposal systems are slightly more expensive but have the potential to reduce environmental impact on surface water and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Clustered decentralised treatment solutions could be environmentally and economically sustainable but ownership, management and related financial and legal issues will need to be addressed and developed.

Suggested Citation

  • Donata Dubber & Laurence Gill, 2014. "Application of On-Site Wastewater Treatment in Ireland and Perspectives on Its Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 6(3), pages 1-20, March.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:6:y:2014:i:3:p:1623-1642:d:34379
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Agnieszka Karczmarczyk & Agnieszka Bus & Anna Baryła, 2021. "Assessment of the Efficiency, Environmental and Economic Effects of Compact Type On-Site Wastewater Treatment Plants—Results from Random Testing," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-15, January.
    2. Kelsey Shaw & Christopher Kennedy & Caetano C. Dorea, 2021. "Non-Sewered Sanitation Systems’ Global Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Balancing Sustainable Development Goal Tradeoffs to End Open Defecation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-16, October.
    3. Darja Istenič & Igor Bodík & Maret Merisaar & Magdalena Gajewska & Michal Šereš & Tjaša Griessler Bulc, 2023. "Challenges and Perspectives of Nature-Based Wastewater Treatment and Reuse in Rural Areas of Central and Eastern Europe," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-16, May.

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