Discharge licences are issued under Section 4 of the Local Government ( Water Pollution ) Act 1977, as amended in 1990, in respect of the discharge of trade effluent and / or sewage effluent to surface water or groundwater. Licences set conditions so the discharge is treated and controlled in a manner that protects the receiving environment.
The discharge of trade or sewage effluent to waters without a licence is an offence under the Act, subject to certain exemptions*.
Failure to comply with the terms and conditions of a Discharge Licence is an offence under the Local Government (Water Pollution) Act 1977, as amended.
Application forms and guidance notes for discharge to surface waters and discharge to groundwater can be downloaded below. Completed forms should be submitted to The Environment Section, Meath County Council, Buvinda House, Dublin Road, Navan, Co. Meath along with the fee of €380.
If you have any queries regarding applying for a Section 4 discharge licence please contact the Environment Section on 046/9097000.
- The discharge of treated domestic effluent to groundwater via percolation area, where the discharge volume is less than 5m3/day, is exempt from the licensing requirement of Section 4 of the Local Government ( Water Pollution ) Act 1977, as amended. In this case the provisions of the Water Services Act 2007 and 2012 ( Domestic Waste Water Treatment Systems ) Regulations 2012 apply, regarding registration and maintenance of on-site waste water treatment systems.
Application form: Discharge trade and or domestic waste water to ground water
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Application form: Discharge Trade and or Domestic Waste Water to Surface Water
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Discharge licences in respect of the discharge of trade effluent to sewer are issued under Section 16 of the Local Government ( Water Pollution ) Act 1977, as amended. In accordance with the provisions of the Water Services ( No.2) Act 2013, Section 16 discharge licences are issued by Irish Water.
Section 16 discharge licence application forms are available from Irish Water, please call 1890 278 278 or visit the Irish Water website.
