The Environmental Protection Agency has recorded a marked deterioration in surface water quality in Ireland during the past three decades, despite a slight improvement in recent years:
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has identified eutrophication (over-enrichment with nutrients) as the main threat to water quality in Ireland. In most cases the nutrient of importance is phosphorus.
In 1997, the Government published the strategy document "Managing Ireland's Rivers And Lakes - A Catchment Based Strategy Against Eutrophication". This sets out Ireland's pollution reduction programme for phosphorus and laid down interim quality standards over a ten-year timeframe. The long-term target is to improve all polluted rivers and lakes to a level consistent with the beneficial uses of their waters.
To reach these targets - and to meet, in part, the requirements of the EU Dangerous Substances Directive - the Government introduced the Local Government (Water Pollution) Act, 1977 (Water Quality Standards for Phosphorus) Regulations, 1998.
These require water quality to be maintained or improved by reference to the biological quality rating (of rivers) or trophic status (of lakes) that the EPA assigned in the 1995-97 review period or at the first occasion thereafter. This represents the baseline water quality data.
Where water quality is unpolluted (that is, where the EPA has given a river biological quality rating of Q4, Q4-5 or Q5, or assigned an oligotrophic / mesotrophic lake status), under the regulations the existing quality level must be maintained.
Where quality levels are unsatisfactory, the regulations require that the water be improved by 2007 at the latest for waters surveyed by the EPA in the 1995-97 period, or within ten years for waters first surveyed after 1997.
The degree of improvement required is based on the baseline quality and on the standards prescribed by the regulations. These standards may be met
The regulations require that the local authorities and the EPA take all appropriate steps to reach these quality standards.
Local authorities prepare implementation reports every two years following which the EPA reports on implementation at national level.
The EPA has also produced a guidance manual to assist local authorities in preparing these reports.
The EPA has published three national reports on the regulations and has held six national seminars on facilitating their implementation.
Download the latest Phosphorus Regulations Implementation Report, 2005
