AWN Consulting were appointed to determine how the wastewater discharge from an existing facility could be significantly increased to permit expansion of the facility, without requiring significant investment in the wastewater treatment plant on site. The wastewater solution developed by AWN enabled significant plant expansion and inward investment.

The receiving watercourse (river) was deemed by the EPA, under current Surface Water Regulations and the EU Water Framework Directive to have limited capacity for receiving wastewater. The company was in a position to benefit from a significant inward investment if a solution to the issue of wastewater disposal could be found. AWN developed a solution which consisted of a diffuser system placed within the river to substantially improve the dispersion of the effluent plume. MIKE Hydrological Modelling Software was used to model effluent dispersion and assimilation in the watercourse. An Advection Dispersion (AD) module was incorporated into the model to simulate the effects of the discharge.

AWN then negotiated a significant increase in wastewater discharge and associated loadings with the EPA and delivered a revised IPPC licence, which provided the company with the capacity and limits required, while minimising the investment requirements for the on-site wastewater treatment plant.

For more information please contact fergal.callaghan@awnconsulting.com and brian.tiernan@awnconsulting.com