Ireland's water infrastructure is responsible for supplying drinking water and collecting and treating wastewater before its discharge to the environment. According to Uisce Éireann, approximately 1.7 billion litres of drinking water are supplied every day, while more than 1.2 billion litres of wastewater are collected and treated through the public wastewater network.
Ageing assets, population growth, increasing industrial demand and stricter environmental regulations are creating significant challenges for maintaining and upgrading essential water and wastewater infrastructure.
More than one billion litres of wastewater are collected across Ireland’s public sewer network every day and treated at more than 1,000 treatment plants. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 2025 assessment found that 59% of licensed wastewater treatment plants did not consistently meet their required standards, with inadequate infrastructure and poor operation and maintenance identified as key causes.
Meanwhile, the revised EU Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive (EU 2024/3019) has introduced additional requirements around micropollutant removal, energy neutrality and climate resilience, increasing the need for investment and upgrades, which are to be completed by 2045.
Deterioration of water infrastructure
Wastewater treatment plants are exposed to an aggressive combination of chemical, biological and mechanical stresses. Chemical attack from aggressive wastewater, abrasion and erosion from flows and suspended solids, reinforcement corrosion and microbiologically induced corrosion (MIC) can severely degrade the concrete structure.
Cracking and defective joints can also compromise watertightness, resulting in leakage and potentially increasing pollution risks.
Effective refurbishment therefore requires more than repairing visible damage. A number of factors should be considered, including the cause and extent of deterioration, chemical exposure, water pressure, abrasion, crack and joint movement, substrate condition, required service life and available shutdown time. The selection of repair, protection, waterproofing and joint sealing solution should be based on the specific requirements of the structure.
Potable water infrastructure, including reservoirs and treatment facilities, presents additional challenges. Materials used in contact with drinking water should be suitable for their intended application. WRAS approval is one certification considered when specifying products for drinking water applications.
Sika solutions for potable water infrastructure
Sika offers a range of WRAS approved solutions for the repair and protection of drinking water infrastructure.
Sikalastic®-6100 FX is a flexible waterproofing mortar designed for use on water-retaining structures, combining waterproofing with concrete protection and crack-bridging capability. Sika MonoTop®-1010 provides reinforcement corrosion protection and acts as a bonding primer for compatible concrete repair systems.
For cracks and joints, the Sikadur-Combiflex® SG System combines a joint sealing tape with Sikadur® epoxy adhesive to provide flexible, crack-bridging waterproofing. Sikasil® DW is a silicone sealant specifically designed for joints in contact with potable water, including reservoirs, tanks and treatment plants.
Sika's WRAS approved range also includes Sikadur®-31 DW, for repair and reprofiling applications, and Sika AnchorFix®-2+ for anchoring applications.
*Always refer to project specific requirements and specification.
Sika solutions for wastewater infrastructure
For wastewater applications, Sika provides systems designed to address chemical attack, abrasion, erosion, MIC and water ingress across different treatment processes.
Sikagard®-720 EpoCem® provides a protective repair and levelling solution for areas exposed to chemical attack, abrasion and erosion, while Sikagard®-7000 CR is designed for demanding chemical and biogenic corrosion environments, including areas affected by MIC.
For the sealing of cracks and defective joints, the Sikadur-Combiflex® SG System, Sikaflex® PRO-3 Purform® and Sikaflex®-403 Tank & Silo provide flexible sealing options. Where reinforcement corrosion has caused concrete deterioration, SikaTop® Armatec®-110 EpoCem® can provide reinforcement protection as part of a concrete repair system.
*Always refer to project specific requirements and specification.
Extending service life through proactive refurbishment
With increasing pressure on Ireland’s water infrastructure, extending the service life of existing assets is an important part of meeting future demand and regulatory requirements. Early assessment of deterioration and specification of compatible repair and protection systems can help reduce future maintenance, minimise disruption and keep critical water infrastructure performing for longer.
For technical advice and support with the specification of repair, protection, waterproofing and sealing systems for water infrastructure, contact Sika’s technical team.
Source: Drinking Water Quality in Public Supplies 2025
Source: Volume of raw sewage discharges halved, but many wastewater plants still poorly managed | Environmental Protection Agency
Source: https://environment.ec.europa.eu/topics/water/urban-wastewater_en
Source: https://www.water.ie/projects/strategic-plans/water-services-strategic