Water quality

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has committed approximately €9.5m under the water research theme in the latest 2000-2006 Environmental Research, Technological Development and Innovation (ERTDI) programme.

Several of the larger projects are the result of successful co-funding partnerships with other funding bodies such as the Marine Institute, Teagasc and COFORD. Many peer-reviewed publications, assessment tools and other products have arisen from the programme thus far.

The Science, Technology, Research & Innovation for the Environment (STRIVE) Programme 2007-2013 will aim at addressing the following issues:

• Communication-Dissemination of WFD related activities
• Pressures on water quality
• Improving our understanding of the efficacy of existing measures to improve water quality
• Research to support the Monitoring Programme
• Implications of climate change on pressures in the water environment
• Stakeholder involvement

The EPA, under the ERTDI Programme 2000-2006, has funded over 80 projects. Some of the research in this programme was focussed on specific issues, e.g. diffuse pollution from agriculture and forestry, ecological assessment.

In 2005, projects have been awarded aiming at meeting knowledge gaps to address specific requirements of the Water Framework Directive (WFD), such as:

• Typology
• Classification tools
• Establishment for type-specific reference conditions
• Risk assessment
• Public participation
• Examining policy linkages between WFD and other policy drivers, and
• Development of advanced sensor technologies for monitoring ecosystem change

EPA Water Research Strategy

• EPA Water Research Strategy Workshop - October 2006, Carlow
  • View Workshop Programme & Discussion Document
  • View Workshop Report
• View EPA Water Research Strategy 2007-2013

EPA-Funded Projects

• ERTDI research in water quality
• STRIVE research in water quality

Access the websites of our research projects:

• Learn more about Illuminate project
• Find out more about the SmartCoast project

Read More about our completed projects:

• Summary of Findings: On-site wastewater treatment: investigation of rapid percolating subsoils, reed beds and effluent distribution

Research Reports & Datasets under the Water Quality and the Aquatice Environment:

• View the research reports under the Water Quality and the Aquatice Environment theme
• View the datasets unde the under the Water Quality and the Aquatice Environment theme

Research Workshops:

• Understanding the ecological responses of streams to nutrient enrichment

Learn More

• Find out more about monitoring programmes for water in Ireland
• Learn about the Water Framework Directive