Ireland's State of the Environment Report 2024

210 Chapter 8: Water The Waters of LIFE is an EU LIFE integrated project with a €20 million budget that aims to help reverse the deterioration of Ireland’s most pristine waters 17 (see also Chapter 7). Waters of LIFE will support the implementation of measures to protect and enhance high status objective water bodies and thus will support the work of the Blue Dot Catchments Programme run by LAWPRO, which has the same objective. 5. Outlook The EPA conducted an assessment of the measures contained in the Water Action Plan 2024 with a view to forecasting their efficacy in achieving Ireland’s water quality objectives (EPA, 2024c). The analysis focused on the 1649 (34%) water bodies currently at risk of not meeting their 2027 environmental objectives. It assessed whether there were specific targeted measures in place to address the pressures on them and, if so, the likelihood of their being effective. The assessment shows that there will be a significant shortfall in reaching our 2027 targets even if all the measures are fully implemented (Figure 8.11). 17 www.watersoflife.ie/about/#: ~:text=The%20Waters%20of%20LIFE%20is%20an%20EU%20LIFE,protracted%20and%20 persistent%20water%20quality%20trend%20in%20Ireland (accessed 24 June 2024). Specifically, the analysis found that: ■ Between 150 and 300 of the water bodies assessed are forecast to meet their water quality targets by 2027. ■ A further 500–650 at-risk water bodies may see some water quality improvements, even if not to the level required to meet the status objectives. ■ Approximately 864 of the 1649 water bodies do not have specific, targeted measures planned and are therefore unlikely to achieve their status objectives by 2027. These forecasts do not take account of any future deteriorations in water quality, which, based on the evidence to date, are essentially offsetting any improvements being made. There remains therefore a significant challenge ahead to meet our water quality objectives, ensure we have safe and resilient water services and meet the new, more stringent requirements of the recast Drinking Water Directive and Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive. Figure 8.11  Likelihood of water bodies achieving Water Framework Directive objectives by 2027 ˜ Achieved objectives by 2021 (2610 water bodies) ˜ Will likely achieve objectives by 2027 (150-300 water bodies) ˜ Measures in place by 2027, improvements unknown (effectiveness gap; 500-650 water bodies) ˜ Pressures known, measures not in place by 2027 (measures gap; 864 water bodies) ˜ Pressures not known (evidence gap; 583 water bodies) Source: EPA, 2024c