'The Irish Times' is one of many media outlets across the country now highlighting how rivers, streams and lakes in Ireland are being polluted by untreated wastewater, largely because of poorly maintained, or badly designed, private drainage systems. This is a ticking ecological time bomb as well as a potential threat to public health.

“Raw sewage from the equivalent of 86,000 people is flowing into Irish waterways every day, a health threat the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says is not being dealt with quickly enough.” 'The Irish Times', February 14, 2019

Environmental ticking time bomb

Traditionally, Irish householders and businesses have managed private wastewater on-site using septic tanks. But a septic tank removes only about 30 per cent of the active pollutants in the effluent, which is why their discharges pose such a threat to water courses and ground water. David Best, commercial specification manager for the Klargester product range at Kingspan said: “Sewage treatment plants by contrast are highly efficient, treating about 95 per cent of the pollutants within the waste matter. They should be considered the solution of choice near to surface water or for any sensitive sites.”

Kingspan Klargester CPD – Guide to sewage treatment

A team of experts from Kingspan Klargester, the world leading wastewater management range, in association with Engineers Ireland and CIBSE, will be offering a CPD to key professions involved in the management of wastewater, including civil engineers and architects entitled: 'A Guide to Sewage Treatment Plants'. Topics covered include: 1.) Understanding wastewater treatment 2.) An introduction to sewage treatment systems 3.) Site assessments 4.) Sizing commercial systems and seasonal applications 5.) Typical installation process 6.) Dos and don’ts There are four CPD sessions being delivered across these venues: 1.) September 13: The Kingspan IKON “innovation centre” Kingscourt, Co Cavan. 2.) September 20: The Kingspan Stadium, Belfast. The CPD is free to attend and worth one hour of CPD credit. A free tour of both venues is offered for delegates and complimentary lunch with refreshments on arrival is also provided. To find out more, or to book your free place go to www.bit.ly/klargesterCPD or email/phone us: Email: water-IE@kingspan.com and NI Tel: 028 3026 6799; ROI Tel: 048 3026 6799.