15 December 2020
Just over half of Irish surface waters are in a satisfactory condition and trends are going “in the wrong direction”, according to a new report.
The Environmental Protection Agency published their Water Quality Indicators Report 2019 today, and found that nitrate concentrations are now increasing in nearly half of river and groundwater sites.
These concentrations are highest in the south and south east of the country, where its main source is agriculture.
Excess nutrients like phosphorus and nitrogen, which are primarily coming from agriculture and waste water, are the “main threat” to water quality, according to the agency.
“Elevated nutrient concentrations are contributing to pollution in our freshwaters and estuaries and causing difficulties with drinking water standards in some areas.
December 15, 2020 9:54 am
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has published the Water Quality Indicators Report 2019 which provides an assessment on Ireland’s surface water and groundwater quality.
Published today (Tuesday, December 15), the report highlights that the main threat to water quality is the presence of too much nutrients, such as phosphorus and nitrogen, which come primarily from agriculture and waste water.
Over one third of rivers, and a quarter of lakes are failing to meet their environmental quality standards for nutrients.
Over one fifth of our groundwater, estuarine and coastal water bodies have high nitrogen concentrations, the document says.
Just over half of rivers and lakes are in high or good biological quality. The rivers surveyed in 2019 have shown more improvements than declines overall, which is welcome; however, further action is needed to return waters to a satisfactory condition, the report says.
Nitrate concentrations are increasing in nearly half of Irish river and groundwater sites, according to the latest figures from Ireland’s environmental watchdog.
Nutrient concentrations in waters are “too high” and the trends are going “in the wrong direction” the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) stated in its Water Quality Indicators Report 2019.
The report provides an assessment on Ireland’s surface water and groundwater quality. It found that the main threat to water quality is the presence of too much nutrients, primarily nitrogen and phosphorus, with agriculture and waste water the main sources.
Agriculture impacts on over half (53%) of the 1,460 water bodies at risk of not meeting their environmental objectives, and urban waste water impacts on 22%.
Water quality issues remain in Kildare catchements says Environmental Protection Agency
Further reductions in nitrogen will also be achieved with other planned waster water plant upgrades
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Nutrient concentrations in waters are too high and the trends are going in the wrong direction, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says in a new Water Quality Indicators Report 2019 which provides an assessment on Ireland’s surface water and groundwater quality.
It says that agriculture impacts on over half (53%) of the 1,460 water bodies at risk of not meeting their environmental objectives and urban waste water impacts on 22%.
Just over half of Irish surface waters are in a satisfactory condition.