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

Chapter 7: Water Quality Chapter Highlights for Water Quality Ireland has seen a continuing decline in high status water bodies and an increase in the number of water bodies in poor ecological health. Even more stark is the dramatic reduction in the number of our most pristine rivers, which have fallen in 30 years from over 500 sites in 1990 to only 20 sites in 2020. Rapid action is needed to protect our remaining pristine sites before they are lost. More urgent focus also needs to be given to protecting our estuaries, as these water bodies have the worst status overall and specific measures for their improvement and protection should be identified and implemented. The decline in river water quality is being driven primarily by nutrient pollution coming from agriculture and wastewater systems. Fertiliser spreading, slurry spreading and other nutrient losses that are causing pollution need to be covered by tighter measures in the next River Basin Management Plan and Nitrates Action Programme. Irish Water must ensure that the necessary wastewater infrastructure is in place and is not causing pollution, as legally required in EPA authorisations. Overall, water quality has declined in Ireland, despite the actions taken to date to reverse this trend. Continued targeted action at local water catchment level that is based on science is key to improving water quality. The Local Authority Waters Programme and Agricultural Sustainability Support and Advisory Programme have key roles in implementing this targeted action and providing guidance at water catchment and farm levels to improve water quality. There also needs to be a national focus on measures to deliver solutions that protect and restore all water bodies. 189