Slaney Estuary Water Management Unit Action Plan
Name Slaney Estuary Water Management Unit
Area 351 km2
River Basin District
South Eastern RBD
Main Counties
Wexford
Protected Areas
Slaney River Valley SAC, Screen Hills SAC, Raven Point SAC.The Raven SPA, Wexford Harbour SPA, Wexford Nature Reserve SPA.Slaney Estuary Upper and Slaney Estuary Lower UWWTD.2 drinking water abstractions from Sow River and small unnamed tributary flowing into Slaney at Ferrycarrig.Wexford Harbour Inner and Wexford Harbour Outer Shellfish water.
Sectoral Total Phosphorus Source (This does not imply impact)
010
20304050
6070
%
STATUS/IMPACTS
Overall status 30 RWB - 6 Good, 21 Moderate, 3 Poor Status. There are no lakes.
Status elements Q score dictates status in all but 2 monitored WBs, Phys Chemical dictates status for 1 good WB and Hydromorph and Phys Chemical reduce a good WB to moderate (Assaly River at Finoge Bridge). Phys Chemical status high or good elsewhere where monitored. Status was extrapolated for 24 sites. Chemical status is not monitored.
Possible Impacts - EPA Water Quality 2004
Sow -(SE_12_2504 - Status 09 -Moderate based on Q Score); Generally satisfactory ecological condition in 2007 apart from in the upper reaches. Clear signs of nutrient enrichment with abundant macrophyte growth.
Tinnokilla Stream (SE_12_2565 -Status 09 - Moderate); The Tinnokilla stream was in an unsatisfactory ecological condition in 2007. Excavation works in the area suspected.
PRESSURES/RISKS
Nutrient sources 78% of TP is Diffuse, 65% of which is from Agriculture.. 22% of TP comes from WWTP.
Point pressures 14 WWTPs - Ballagh - Village; Ballaghkeen - Hse Est; Ballyhogue; Ballymurn; Bree; Castlebridge WWTP; Crossabeg; Galbally, Wexford; Glenbrien; Murrintown - JP Park; Piercetown WWTP; Tagoat Wexford, Oilgate40 Section 4s – 19 Private Companies, 3 Construction Companies, Lodge, 7 Property Development Companies(1), Golf & Leisure Resort,2 Hotels, Car Sales, Architects, 2 Financial Consultancy, Community Centre, Building Contractor, School.4 IPPC- Metal Manufacturing Company, Engineering Company, Pig Farm, Manufacturers. 2 WTP's - Wexford Treatment Works and Kilmallock Treatment Works.2 EPA Licensed Waste Facilities
Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTP) and Industrial Discharges
At Risk WWTP’s (refer to Action Table):Castlebridge WWTPPiercetown WWTPMurrintown - JP ParkOilgateWexfordBallymurnRosslare Strand WWTPGalbally, WexfordBallaghkeen - Hse EstTagoat
2 Section 4s are at risk due to lack of assimilative capacity for BOD and nutrients IPPC – not at risk
Quarries, Mines & Landfills
There are 12 quarries, no mines and 1 landfill but no waterbodies at risk.
Agriculture The majority of the area of the WMU is at risk from Agriculture
On-site systems There are 6579 septic tanks in this WMU, none of them are posing a risk to water quality due to their density, location and unsuitable hydrogeological conditions.
Forestry No waterbodies at risk from forestry
Dangerous substances No waterbodies at risk from Dangerous Substances.
Morphology 1 waterbody at risk due to Channelisation - SE_12_851(River Sow Drainage District, pre 1945 channelisation)
Abstractions 12 abstractions - 3 waterbodies at risk - SE_12_2334, SE_12_2504 and SE_12_3
Slaney Estuary Water Management Unit Action PlanRiver Status
High
Good
Moderate
Poor
Bad
Yet to be determined
SELECTED ACTION PROGRAMMENB All relevant basic measures, general supplementary measures and SEA mitigation measures apply
Point Sources
POINT SOURCE:
WWTP – Refer to table below
INDUSTRY – Examine the terms of discharge authorisations to determine whether they require review for the purpose of compliance with water body objectives including protected area objectives and environmental quality standards.
Diffuse Sources
AGRICULTURE – Good Agricultural Practice Regulations and Enforcement.
ON-SITE SYSTEMS - Inspection of on-site systems in at-risk areas to ensure that treatment systems are adequate and maintained to prevent pollution of waters. Consider connection to municipal sewerage systems based on inspections and economic tests.
Other MORPHOLOGY - SE_12_851 will require Channelisation Investigation to
determine impact of drainage works.
OTHER: Protection of drinking water, abstraction control and future licensing.
Measures included in Shellfish Pollution Reduction Programmes under the
Shellfish Directive.
OBJECTIVES
Good status 2015
Protect
3 water bodies
6 water bodies
Alternative Objectives
Extended Deadlines – 21 water bodies with 2021 deadline
New Modifications or Development – none requiring alternative objectives at present.
HMWB/AWB – 1 AWB – Castlebridge Canal
Slaney Estuary Water Management Unit Action Plan
FUTURE DEVELOPMENT
Future Pressures and Developments
Throughout the river basin management cycle future pressures and developments will need to be managed to ensure compliance with the objectives of the Water Framework Directive and the Programme of Measures will need to be developed to ensure issues associated with these new pressures are addressed.
Point Source Discharge County Priority Measure (Capital Works)
Castlebridge WWTP Wexford 1 Increase capacity of treatment plant.
Piercetown WWTP Wexford 1 Increase capacity of treatment plant.
Piercetown WWTP Wexford 2 Provide tertiary treatment or relocate outfall.
Piercetown WWTP Wexford 2 Provide nutrient removal or relocate outfall.
Ballymurn Wexford 1 Increase capacity of treatment plant.
Point Source Discharge County Priority Measure (Investigation before Capital Works)
Murrintown - JP Park Wexford 3 Investigate the need for increase in capacity of treatment plant.
Oilgate Wexford 2 Investigate the need for increase in capacity of treatment plant.
Point Source Discharge County Priority Measure
Castlebridge WWTP Wexford 1 Plant requring the implementation of the Pollution Reduction Programme for Shellfish waters
Wexford Wexford 1 Plant requring the implementation of the Pollution Reduction Programme for Shellfish waters
Point Source Discharge County Priority Measure
Ballymurn Wexford 1 Plant requiring the implement an appropriate performance management system
Piercetown WWTP Wexford 1 Plant requiring the implement an appropriate performance management system
Rosslare Strand WWTP Wexford 1 Plant requiring the implement an appropriate performance management system
Point Source Discharge County Priority Measure
Galbally, Wexford Wexford 2 Plant requiring the investigation of CSO's
Point Source Discharge County Priority Measure
Ballaghkeen - Hse Est Wexford 3 Plant requiring to ensure capacity of treatment plant is not exceeded
Tagoat Wexford 3 Plant requiring to ensure capacity of treatment plant is not exceeded
River DataSlaney Estuary Water Management Unit Action Plan
Member State Code
Monito
red Y
(E
xtra
pola
ted N
)
Donor W
ate
rbody
Macro
inverte
bra
tes (Q
)
Fresh
Wate
r Pearl
Musse
l
Fish
Phyto
benth
os
(Dia
tom
s)
Morp
holo
gy
Specifi
c Polu
tants
Physio
-chem
ical
Eco
logica
l Sta
tus
Chem
ical S
tatu
s
Specia
l Are
a o
f Conse
rvatio
n
Specia
l Pro
tectio
n
Are
a
Nutrie
nt S
ensitiv
e
Wate
rs
Drin
kin
g W
ate
r
Obje
ctive
Date
obje
ctive to
be a
chie
ved
SE_12_1305 Y M GES 2021
SE_12_149 N SE_13_745 P GES 2021
SE_12_2289 N SE_12_2504 M GES 2021
SE_12_2334 N SE_12_1305 M Y Y GES 2015
SE_12_2376 N SE_12_1305 M GES 2015
SE_12_2385 Y G G GES 2009
SE_12_2386 N SE_12_2385 G GES 2009
SE_12_2456 N SE_12_2504 M Y GES 2021
SE_12_2478 Y M G M Y GES 2021
SE_12_2504 Y M G H M Y Y Y GES 2021
SE_12_2527 N SE_12_1305 M GES 2015
SE_12_2541 N SE_12_1305 M Y GES 2021
SE_12_2545 N SE_12_1305 M Y GES 2021
SE_12_2557 N SE_12_2385 G Y GES 2009
SE_12_2565 Y M M Y GES 2021
SE_12_2579 N SE_12_2601 P Y Y GES 2021
SE_12_3 N SE_12_2504 M Y Y GES 2021
SE_12_316 Y G M M M GES 2021
SE_12_424 N SE_13_692 G Y Y GES 2009
SE_12_432 N SE_11_32 M GES 2021
SE_12_440 N SE_12_1305 M GES 2021
SE_12_441 N SE_12_2504 M Y GES 2021
SE_12_442 N SE_12_2504 M Y GES 2021
SE_12_622 N SE_13_745 P GES 2021
SE_12_766 N SE_12_1305 M GES 2021
SE_12_801 N SE_12_1305 M GES 2021
SE_12_803 N SE_12_1305 M GES 2021
SE_12_851 Y G G GES 2009
SE_12_907 N SE_12_1305 M GES 2021
SE_12_994 N SE_12_851 G GES 2009
IE_SE_SlaneyEstuary
Biological Elements Supporting Elements Protected Areas
This table outlines water body information including status and a breakdown of its elements, protected areas, objectives and timescales.