National Centre for Water and Wastewater Research and Demonstration

Decentralised wastewater treatment systems for small towns (200 2,000 PE) often have different design requirements to those of systems for larger conurbations even though the treatment process technologies may be similar. For example, additional design requirements at decentralised small systems may include: (i) flow balancing; (ii) long-term on-site sludge storage; and (iii) infrequent supervision and remote monitoring. To meet the requirements of the EU Water Framework Directive, wastewater treatment systems for small towns should: (i) be simple, sustainable and robust, and cheap to construct and operate; (ii) reduce fats, oils and greases; (iii) remove organic carbon, nutrients (N and P) and solids; (iv) decrease microorganisms; (v) treat resultant sludges on-site or locally; and (vi) be monitored and controlled remotely. The NUI Galway EPA WRF was created to assess and develop such wastewater treatment systems for small-towns.