3. Water - The Current Situation
Groundwater
Rivers
Lakes
Transitional and Coastal Waters
4. Groundwater Quality
85.6% of the area of
groundwater aquifers is at good
status
5. Groundwater Quality
GW 25% Drinking Water
GW affects ecology of rivers & estuaries - low flows - sea lettuce)
GW influenced by SW phosphates in karst areas especially
Nitrate Concentrations are influenced by rainfall variation from year to year
Microbial pathogens are an important consideration – 40% of all samples taken
from 285 wells and springs – a threat to private water supplies in particular
6. River Water Quality
• 71% of river channel is at high or good status
• Serious pollution almost gone
• Slight and Moderate pollution stabilised ~29%
7. Loss of Highest Quality Waters
• High Status waters still declining
• They are easily degraded but it’s
very important to protect them.
9. Lake Water Quality
• 46.6% of lakes monitored are at high or good status
• The main form of pollution is still eutrophication or over-
enrichment with phosphate and nitrate.
• Rivers flow into lakes carrying nutrients – need to implement
measures in their catchments upstream.
11. Quality of Transitional and Coastal Waters
46% of transitional and coastal waters are at
high or good status.
12. Quality of Transitional and Coastal Waters
Transitional Waters in Top 5 across Europe
Under pressure due to coastal population
Coastal Waters
Among the best in Europe
70% achieve high or good status
Urban Wastewater is the biggest threat
Some big improvements seen – e.g. Sligo WWTP
Nitrogen from Agricultural Sources
Argideen near Courtmacsherry – sea lettuce
15. Programme of Measures boil down to six actions
1. Controlling the inputs of phosphorus and nitrogen to waters.
2. Controlling inputs of oxygen using matter (e.g. silage, milk
waste, sewage).
3. Controlling pathogens in water.
4. Complete elimination of dangerous substances (priority
substances) and control of specific pollutants to protect aquatic
communities and human health.
5. Ensuring that there is a sufficient volume of water in all our water
bodies.
6. Controlling hydromorphological conditions (physical
characteristics of the shape and boundaries of the water body)
both in-stream and along riparian zones.
16. Tackling Pollution
Diffuse Pollution
Agriculture – farmyards and fields
Good Agricultural Practice
Domestic Wastewater Treatment Systems (septic tanks)
Registration and Inspections under Water Services (Amendment) Act 2012
Forestry – planting, fertilising, clear felling, acidification
Forest and Water Guidelines, Acid Sensitive Protocol, Hen Harrier, Unenclosed Land
Large Point Source Pollution
Licensing of large Urban Wastewater Treatment Plants
Certification of smaller (<500 pe) WWTPs
Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (IPPC) Licensing
Water Pollution Act - Section 4 licences
17. Urban Wastewater
93% of urban waste water discharges in Ireland received secondary treatment or
better.
11 large urban areas do not meet the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive
(UWWTD) requirement to have secondary treatment in place.
Bray and Ringaskiddy,
Clifden,
Moville,
Eight urban areas do not meet the UWWTD requirement to provide nutrient
reduction in addition to secondary treatment
This includes the cities of Dublin, Cork and Kilkenny.
46% of waste water treatment plants did not meet all waste water quality standards
or EPA guidelines.
18. Eliminating Serious Pollution
The extent of serious pollution of rivers has been reduced
significantly in recent years.
In 2004–2006, 39 sites were categorised as seriously
polluted.
In 2007–2009 this had dropped to 20 sites.
By 2011 there was a further significant reduction to 11 sites.
Currently, approximately 18 km of river channel remains
seriously polluted from a total length of 13,200 km surveyed.
19. Outlook
We have reduced serious pollution
Need to tackle slight and moderate pollution on a site by site
basis
– point or diffuse pollution
Lakes will respond to reduced nutrient inputs from rivers
Improvements in Coastal areas due to new Urban WWTP
Still 42 coastal towns requiring upgrading
Reduction of riverine nutrient inputs also important
Groundwater status dependent on surface waters
Improvements in rivers will bring some GWs up in status too.
Longer term in some cases and some e.g. mine wastes may be more
intractable
20. Outlook
Protection of High Status waters - very important
Food Harvest 2020 brings new challenges
Business as usual will mean more pollution
Decouple intensity of agriculture from potential impacts
Preventing direct cattle access to water for example
Nutrient management plans
Buffer zones at potential ‘hot spots’ or critical source areas
Governance of Water Framework Implementation
Three tier strategy proposed
21. Water Framework Governance
Tier 1: National Management and Oversight: Led by the DECLG,
the main emphasis would be on:
preparation of policy and national regulations
steering the WFD implementation at a national level
addressing funding priorities, including integrating the Water Services
Investment Programme and WFD programmes of measures
national-level interaction with Irish Water
planning and development coordination related to water quality issues.
22. Water Framework Governance
Tier 2: National Technical Implementation and Reporting: Led by
the EPA, the activities would focus principally on:
monitoring, assessment and reporting
production of River Basin Management Plans
evaluation and implementation of measures
monitoring of enforcement tasks and environmental outcomes.
23. Water Framework Governance
Tier 3: Regional Implementation via Water Networks: Led by the
lead local authority within the RBD, this level would address:
public awareness and participation
implementation of Programmes of Measures by relevant public bodies,
tracking and reporting, in consultation with EPA
local authority monitoring, licensing and enforcement actions
follow-up investigative monitoring aimed at pin-pointing sources of pollution.