EPA - Ireland's Environment, An Integrated Assessment - 2020

Ireland’s Environment – An Integrated Assessment 2020 Hydromorphology (Physical Alterations to Water Bodies and Habitats) Methods are needed to assess the impacts that physical structures and changes to water bodies have on their ecology; solutions will also need to be implemented to address significant pressures. Hydromorphological alterations that can affect the flow and structure of water bodies is the second most common pressure in at-risk water bodies (24%). As acknowledged in the RBMP, the effects of hydromorphological alterations on the ecology of surface waters needs to be better understood before effective management measures can be put in place. One of the important steps in bridging this gap is the development of tools to assess the hydromorphological condition of surface waters, and good progress is being made in this regard with the development of assessment indices for both rivers and estuarine and coastal waters [e.g. River Morphological Quality Index (MQI) and TraC Hydromorphological Quality Index]. These indices provide a measure of hydromorphological change that will provide a basis for better understanding the impact of these changes on ecology. A knowledge of the relationship between ecology and hydromorphology will be required to develop environmental quality standards to help regulate activities that cause physical modifications and to select measures that will deliver ecological benefits to aquatic systems. These and other work packages, including the designation of heavily modified water bodies (and matching objectives) and the development of a monitoring programme, form part of the National Hydromorphology Work Programme led by the EPA. In relation to river barriers, Inland Fisheries Ireland’s National Barrier Programme has catalogued 73,055 structures nationally as potential barriers to fish passage. To date 15,700 of these potential barriers have been assessed and 2054 have been identified as barriers to fish passage. Since 2010 Inland Fisheries Ireland has instigated 50 large-scale barrier remedial works, removing 14 barriers, installing 29 fish passage solutions and creating three bypass channels to allow fish to pass. Investment to Improve the Collection and Treatment of Urban Wastewater There has been slow progress in addressing areas where wastewater has been identified as a significant pressure preventing water bodies from meeting their environmental objectives and in areas where untreated sewage is still being discharged into the environment. Wastewater from urban treatment systems (including storm water overflows) is the third most significant pressure on at-risk water bodies (20%). Over the period 2017-2021, Irish Water committed to investing approximately €1.7 billion in wastewater projects, programmes and asset maintenance. This was to include investment in 255 wastewater treatment projects (to be completed by the year 2025), improvements in collection systems in 41 urban areas, and further investment and upgrades to existing plants. In devising its capital infrastructure plan, Irish Water has considered the objectives and priorities set out in the national RBMP. These include supporting the protection of protected areas (special areas of conservation, special protection areas, shellfish and bathing waters), supporting high status waters and preventing deterioration in the status of water bodies that are already meeting their objectives. Progress in delivering these projects has been mixed. Of the 255 wastewater treatment projects identified for investment, 108 were completed by the end of 2019, a further 98 are scheduled to be completed by the end of 2024 and 48 are likely to extend to 2025 or beyond. As of 2019, Irish Water had yet to identify and schedule the improvements required to address almost half (23 of 48) of the areas where addressing wastewater is a priority for achieving water quality objectives. Repeated delays in completing essential work to eliminate discharges of raw sewage mean that it will continue to be released into the environment from 33 towns and villages beyond 2021. Irish Water must reduce the time taken to put in place the required improvements and to eliminate the discharge of raw sewage to the environment. Extending the time to eliminate discharges of untreated wastewater prolongs the risks to the environment and public health. It is important to provide the outstanding infrastructure to end discharges of untreated wastewater without further delay. Irish Water must also complete the improvements needed to ensure that wastewater does not prevent receiving waters from meeting their environmental objectives. 182