COMHAlRLE CONTAE MHAIGH EO =,atit Aras an Chontae, Caislean a 'Bharraigh, Contae Mhaigh Eo. Teileaf6in (094) 9024444 Fax (094) 9023937 Website: www.mayococo.ie Your Ref. Our Ref. grn July 2009. Administration Environmental Licensing Programme Office of Climate, Licensing & Resource Use Environmental Protection Agency Headquarters P.O. Box 3000 Johnstown Castle Estate County Wexford RE: Notice in accordance with Reaulation 18(ub) of the Waste Water Discharge fAuthorisation) Regulations 2007 APPLICATION: D0072-01- ACHILL ISLAND CENTRAL Dear Mr McLoughlin For inspection purposes only. Consent of copyright owner required for any other use. Further to your letter of 2gm May 2009, Ienclose the required responses to the queries raised in the correspondence. For clarity, the responses have been made point .by point with the original queries indicated in italics. Thank you, Yours sincerely Paddy Mahon Director of Services MAYO COUNTY COUNQ, Aras an Chontae, Castlebar, Co. Mayo. Tel: (094) 9024444 PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER EPA Export 26-07-2013:14:27:58 I Y.2 >: 7 "L*-, .-_ Achill Island Central Waste Water Discharge Licence Application Reguilation 18 Request REGULATION 16 COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS No. 1 Provide the name of the agglomeration to which the application relates. Answer 1 The name of the agglomeration is Achill Island Central No. 2 In Section B.9 (i) of the application form, the p.e. of the agglomeration is stated as being 4000. Please confirm that this figure includes the maximum average weekly loading for the agglomeration, to take account of the peak summer holiday season in Achill. Answer 2 The Treatment Plant was designed to cater for a 4,000 PE. The estimated present figure of 2500 PE takes into account Resident visitors, Day visitors as well as domestic residents. i.e. it takes account of the peak summer holiday season. No. 3 Where planning permission has been granted for development(s), but said development has not been commenced or completed to date, within the boundary of the agglomeration For and inspection this purposes development only. is being, or is to be, Consent of copyright owner required for any other use. served by the waste water works, provide the following information: i. Information on the calculated population equivalent (p.e.) to be contributed to the waste water works as a result of those planning permissions granted; ii. The percentage of the projected p.e. to be contributed by the non- domestic activities; and, iii. The ability of the waste water works to accommodate this extra hydraulic and organic loading without posing an environmental risk to the receiving water habitat. Answer 3 1. The PE for planning permissions granted but not yet constructed is 140 PE. 2. Approximately 35% of this is non domestic 3. There is sufficient capacity in the water treatment works to accommodate the extra Hydraulic and organic loading. Page 1 of 5 EPA Export 26-07-2013:14:27:58 Achill Island Central Waste Water Discharge Licence Application Reguilation 18 Request No. 5 The 3 secondary discharge points labelled SW2, SW3 and SW4 are described as secondary overflows in the Non-technical Summary and are annotated as secondary discharge points in Map B.2. Please clarify? If applicable, update Map B.2 and the relevant parts of the application accordingly. Please note that a Secondary discharge is defined as: “A potential, occasional or continuous discharge from the waste water works other than a primary discharge or a storm water overflow”. Answer 5 Non-Technical Summary has been changed accordingly and attached. No.6 Section F: Existing Environment and Impact of the Discharges: Assess the likelihood of significant effects of the waste water discharges from the Achill Island agglomeration at Purteen on the relevant European site(s) by referring to Circular L8/08 “Water services Investment and Rural Water Programmes – Protection of Natural Heritage and National Monuments” issued by the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government. In particular, the flow diagram in Appendix 1 should be completed and the results of each section recorded. Provide details of the results of this assessment within one month of the date of this notice. If significant effects are likely then an appropriate assessment must be carried out and a report of this assessment forwarded to the Agency within one month of the date of this notice. You are advised to provide the Forrequested inspection purposes information only. in accordance with the Consent of copyright owner required for any other use. “Note on Appropriate Assessments for the purposes of the Waste Water Discharge (Authorisation) Regulations, 2007 (S.I. 684 of 2007)” which is available at www.epa.ie Answer 6 Find enclosed a Copy of the ‘Appropriate Assessment of Achill Island Waste Water Discharge Licence Application 2009’ Page 2 of 5 EPA Export 26-07-2013:14:27:58 Achill Island Central Waste Water Discharge Licence Application Reguilation 18 Request No. 7 Section G.1- Provide evidence that emissions from the agglomeration are in compliance with the Council Directives listed in section G of the application form including Bathing Water Legislation, S.I. No. 155 of 1992 (Quality of Bathing Waters Regulations). Answer 7 a) Bathing Water Regulations Mayo County Council sample results indicate compliant with the Regulations. The results from 2008 are attached providing evidence of compliance. b) Urban Waste Water Regulations Mayo County Council sample results taken from monthly samples from 2008 to date indicate compliance with the Regulations. Results are attached. Achill Island WWTP discharges to sea. c) Water Framework Regulations A draft Plan for the Western River Basin District has yet to be adopted by Mayo County Council. If adopted, Mayo County Council will pay regard to this Plan in its management of Achill Island WWTP. For inspection purposes only. Consent of copyright owner required for any other use. Page 3 of 5 EPA Export 26-07-2013:14:27:58 Achill Island Central Waste Water Discharge Licence Application Reguilation 18 Request d) Dangerous Substances Regulations Pesticides and Solvents Substances standards and Metal and other Substances standards, listed in the Standards Schedule of the Regulations apply to substances in a water body. The discharge from Achill Island WWTP was monitored for all these substances as part of the wastewater discharge licence application and results indicate that levels are below those acceptable in a water body. Substance Unit Standard Result Atrazine ug/l 1 0.003 Dichloromethane ug/l 10 <1 Simazine ug/l 1 0.013 Toluene ug/l 10 <1 Tributylin ug/l 0.001 0.02 Xylenes ug/l 10 <1 Arsenic* ug/l 20 <0.5 Chromium* ug/l 15 <0.5 Copper* ug/l 5 1 Cyanide* ug/l 10 2.3 Fluoride* ug/l 1500 0.0045 Lead* ug/l 5 <0.5 Nickel* ug/l 25 2 Zinc* ug/l 40 5 *Standards for metals and other substances in tidal waters are used. It must be noted that these substances will be further diluted in the receiving water. For inspection purposes only. Consent of copyright owner required for any other use. e) Groundwater Directive Achill Island WWTP discharges to sea. Secondary discharges in the agglomeration are to surface water. f) Shellfish Directive There are no designated shellfish waters in proximity to the Achill Island WWTP outfall g) Drinking Water Directive There is no surface water for abstraction point in proximity to the Achill Island WWTP outfall Page 4 of 5 EPA Export 26-07-2013:14:27:58 Achill Island Central Waste Water Discharge Licence Application Reguilation 18 Request h) Birds Directive There are no SPA’s in proximity to the Achill Island WWTP outfall i) Habitat’s Directive Please refer to the appropriate assessment attached. For inspection purposes only. Consent of copyright owner required for any other use. Page 5 of 5 EPA Export 26-07-2013:14:27:58 Achill Island Central Waste Water Discharge Licence Application Attachment A.1 A.1 Non-Technical Summary 1. Waste Water Discharge Licence Background Mayo County Council, Aras an Chontae, Castlebar, Co. Mayo is making an application to the Environmental Protection Agency (E.P.A.) for a waste water discharge license for the Achill Waste Water Treatment Plant (WWTP) at Purteen and the associated agglomeration known as Achill Island Central, in compliance with the Waste Water Discharge (Authorisation) Regulations 2007 (S.I. No. 684 of 2007). Under Schedule 2 of the above regulations, the prescribed date for submissions of Waste Water Discharge License Applications for agglomerations (with discharges with a population equivalent of 2,001 PE to 10,000 PE) is 22nd September, 2008. The waste water works at Purteen, Achill Island falls under this category, presently having an agglomeration with an agglomeration population equivalent (PE) of approximately 2,500 PE. The original scheme was built in 1991. 2. Description of Purteen, Achill Island Waste Water Works. The Purteen Waste Water Treatment Plant with a design capacity of 4,000 PE is currently being operated by Mayo County Council. Treated effluent from the Plant is discharged to the Atlantic Ocean (Primary Discharge Point.) The waste water works in Purteen, Achill Island consists of a Wastewater Treatment Plant with a collection network of Foul Sewers and 4 No. pumping stations. For inspection purposes only. Consent of copyright owner required for any other use. The municipal treatment works is based on the extended aeration process and is designed to treat sewage from a population equivalent of 4000 PE. The Municipal Treatment Process consists of the following: Inlet works with 12mm automatic screen, standby manual screen, screenings flushed to macerator, compaction and grit removal 2 No. Aeration Tanks 2 No. Secondary Settling Tanks Final Effluent Sampling Point Sludge Pumping Sludge Thickening Sludge Dewatering Supernatant return to inlet works D0072-01 A.1 Page 1 of 2 EPA Export 26-07-2013:14:27:58 Achill Island Central Waste Water Discharge Licence Application Attachment A.1 Of the 4 No.