As part of the Water Framework Directive (WFD) Monitoring Programme approximately one third of our major rivers and their more important tributaries are surveyed and assessed each year by EPA ecologists. The results of the most recent biological surveys are available on the EPA interactive maps . These maps are updated automatically once the surveys are completed by EPA biologists.
A number of online reports are also available - reports by hydrometric area provide the latest available data for any given hydrometric area in the country (the island of Ireland is divided into 40 hydrometric areas). In addition annual historical river water quality reports are published giving the results of surveys carried out in a given year. These will be updated to include 2006 to 2010 surveys - but all data is available in the hydrometric area reports and interactive maps referred to above.
Water Quality Indicator reports include the results of the biological monitoring programme providing an overview of length of channel polluted v unpolluted and broken down by river basin district. The annual biological surveys are also aggregated once every three years to give a complete national picture and providing a river-by-river breakdown of ecological status. The most recent overview is presented in Water Quality in Ireland for the period 2007-2009; continuing a series initiated in 1987. These overviews cover such topics as national and regional quality trends, suspected pollution causes, fish kills, performance of sewage treatment plants, toxic contaminants and other current water quality issues. Canals, lakes, coastal waters and groundwater are also dealt with is some depth. The results of the biological surveys also feed into the ecological status assessments for the WFD River Basin Management Plans providing status for some of the important biological quality elements such as macroinvertebrates and aquatic plants.
Drinking water and bathing water are the subjects of other specific reports.
Download the Latest Reports on River Water Quality
View Interactive River Water Quality Maps
