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

Ireland’s Environment – An Integrated Assessment 2020 POLICY AREA CURRENT ASSESSMENT OUTLOOK NOTES WATER Water River water quality Current assessment is ‘poor’. Only 53% of river water bodies have a good or high status (EPA, 2019). Trend shows a mixed picture with some improvements, but notably there have been serious declines in the number of high status sites and an increase in poor status waters. Significant challenges remain to achieving full compliance. Lake water quality Current assessment is ‘poor’. Only 50% of lake water bodies have a good or high status (EPA, 2019). Trend shows a mixed picture. Significant challenges remain to achieving full compliance. Transitional water quality Current assessment is ‘very poor’. Only 38% of transitional water bodies have a good or high status (EPA, 2019). Trend shows a mixed picture. Significant challenges remain to achieving full compliance. Coastal water quality Current assessment is ‘very good’, with 80% of coastal water bodies having a good or high status (EPA, 2019). Trend is stable. Largely on track to achieving full compliance but some issues remain. Marine environment The Marine Strategy Framework Directive Article 17 report found that 6 of the 11 MSFD descriptors were compatible with good ecological status, indicating partial compliance (DHLGH, 2020). Trend information is not available. Challenges remain for achieving full compliance. Groundwater quality 92% have a good or high status (EPA, 2019). Trend is improving, although there are elevated nitrate concentrations at some monitoring stations, particularly in the south and south-east region, and localised issues with pathogens linked to domestic wastewater treatment systems. The presence of hazardous substances in groundwater is not a widespread water quality issue. Largely on track to achieving full compliance. Urban wastewater treatment Over half (56%) of the wastewater load was not compliant with EU treatment standards in 2019 (EPA, 2020e). Improvements are needed at 113 priority urban areas to eliminate raw sewage, prevent water pollution, protect freshwater pearl mussels and bathing waters and meet EU standards. Trend is improving, but from a low base; progress is slow and significant challenges remain to achieving full compliance. Bathing water quality 95% have a sufficient status, 89% have an excellent or a good status (EPA, 2020f). Trend is improving. Largely on track to achieving full compliance with ‘sufficient’ target, but still below EU average for ‘excellent’. 412