25m³ (25,000 litres) is equivalent to about 150 bathtubs of water. A farmer abstracting water for 200 dairy cows, or a group water scheme abstracting water for 42 households, would use around 25m³/day. 

See Determining water volume abstracted for more information including links to tools for estimating volumes abstracted if you don’t currently measure volumes.

The registration and licensing thresholds set in the legislation are related to the volume of water abstracted in any 24-hour period. The maximum volume abstracted in any 24-hour period (m³/day) (and not the average volume) must be declared when registering or applying for a licence online via the EPA’s EDEN website. The online form also requires applicants to provide the Total Annual Volume Abstracted (m³/annum) and to state the months during which abstractions take place.
For the scenario above, registration is required as the maximum volume of water abstracted in any 24-hour period (30m³/day) exceeds the registration threshold which is 25 cubic metres or more in any 24-hour period.  

A licence application is required as the maximum volume of water abstracted in any 24-hour period (2,000m³/day) meets the licensing threshold which is 2,000 cubic metres or more in any 24-hour period.   
The registration and licensing thresholds set in the legislation relate to the volume of water abstracted in any 24-hour period. Consequently, the maximum volume abstracted in any 24-hour period (m³/day) (and not the average volume) must be declared when registering or applying for a licence. 

If you are abstracting water from two (or more) abstraction points in the same waterbody, all your abstraction points are regulated under the same registration or licence, i.e. one application must be made.

If you are abstracting water from two (or more) abstraction points in different waterbodies, then these abstractions must be registered or licensed separately, i.e. separate applications must be made.

You can check if your abstraction points are in the same or different waterbodies on EPA Maps.

There is guidance in this EPA guidance document: Applying for a water abstraction licence in the Water Abstractions Module on EDEN. Within that document, refer to “Appendix 1. Finding a waterbody code”. Using this guidance, you will be able to filter the map by different waterbody types, e.g. river waterbodies, lake waterbodies, canal waterbodies, ground waterbodies, and find the waterbody relevant to your abstraction point.

In a scenario where there are a number of abstraction points from the same waterbody, the abstraction rate per abstraction point should reflect the overall cumulative maximum daily volume. For example, an abstraction may have three wells each capable of abstracting 1,000m³/day but if the overall maximum volume being abstracted will not exceed 1,800m³/day then the daily volume per abstraction point should be input as 600m³/day to reflect the 1,800m³/day max.

If the abstraction is in the range of 25 to 1,999 m³/day inclusive, you should register it without  delay.

The deadline for making a licence application for an existing abstraction of 2,000 m³/day or greater was 28 February 2025 unless an extension was granted by the EPA under Section 15(7) of the Water Environment (Abstractions and Associated Impoundments) Act 2022. If the abstraction is in this range, you should, without  delay, either apply for a licence or seek an extension of the timeline to make a licence application.

If the abstraction is not currently registered, you must select “New Water Abstraction” when registering or applying for a licence on the EPA's Environmental Data exchange Network (EDEN) system.  Please ensure that the actual abstraction commencement date, which will be prior to 28 August 2024, is declared in the application form on EDEN.

Any person who carries out an abstraction and fails to register the abstraction is guilty of an offence. Any person who continues to carry out an abstraction that exceeds the licensing threshold and fails to apply for an abstraction licence within the specified timeframe is guilty of an offence.

The EPA considers that water abstractions from transitional waterbodies (influenced by sea water) or coastal waterbodies are not within the scope of the Water Environment (Abstractions and Associated Impoundments) Act 2022. Such abstractions do not require registration or a water abstraction licence.

Yes. The water abstractions and aquaculture regulatory regimes are separate and distinct from one another, and both must be complied with. You must apply to the EPA for a water abstractions licence if you operate:

(a) an abstraction of 2,000 m³/day or greater or

(b) an abstraction between 25 and 1,999 m³/day inclusive, which has been determined by the EPA to require a licence. 

The Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine enforces the aquaculture regulatory regime.

No. For the purposes of registering an abstraction or applying for a licence, each abstraction point must be registered under a sole natural person or legal entity. Where multiple farms are extracting from the same source, but are operated by different natural persons or legal entities, an aggregate registration / licence application cannot be made.

Supporting documents, previously submitted as part of an application for another consent process, should only be submitted if they are relevant to the specific abstraction and up to date.  Such documents may include an Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIAR), an Appropriate Assessment (AA) screening report or a Natura Impact Statement (NIS).

See "Additional details on Environmental Impact Assessment and Appropriate Assessment" in the EPA Water Abstractions and Associated Impoundments Registration and Licence Application Guidance.

There is no fee to register a water abstraction of 25–1,999 m³/day with the EPA, unless it is assessed as significant and requires a licence.

Abstractions of 2,000 m³/day or more require a licence application and the associated fee from the outset.

The Water Environment (Abstractions and Associated Impoundments) (Licensing Fees) Regulations 2024 (S.I. No. 418/2024) set out the applicable fees.

For more information, consult the regulations. If you need a licence, see How to apply for a water abstraction licence.

Yes. Under Regulation 3(2) of S.I. No. 418/2024 – Water Environment (Abstractions and Associated Impoundments) (Licensing Fees) Regulations 2024, the EPA may decide to reduce or waive all or part of a licence application fee, depending on the circumstances of the case.

The licensing process has two stages to decision-making. You can make observations on the proposed decision within 28 days of notification. These observations will be considered by the EPA in determining the final decision. If you are not satisfied with the outcome of that process, a judicial review may be sought within eight weeks of a final decision.

Abstractions between 25 and 1,999 cubic metres /day inclusive require assessment(s) to determine if a licence is required.   Until assessment(s) have been completed, the status of the application on the EPA's Environmental Data exchange Network (EDEN) system will be “screening”.

For a proposed new abstraction between 25 and 1,999 cubic meters /day inclusive, or any revision to an existing abstraction that increases the volume to be in the range of 25 – 1,999m³/day, assessment(s) to determine if a licence is required usually take up to two months. This assessment period may be longer in certain circumstances. Such new or increased abstractions cannot commence until authorised to do so.

Yes, this is correct. For abstractions in the range 25 to 1,999 m³/day inclusive, the water abstraction register will not be updated until the proposed increase in the abstraction rate is assigned a revised registration number by the EPA or, if applicable, a licence application is received.

The EPA will undertake assessments to determine if a licence is required.   

If you encounter issues with the EDEN portal, click on the “Help” icon to access EDEN Portal Help Information. If you do not find information to resolve your issue there, please submit a query via the EDEN Contact Us function, accessible at the bottom of the EDEN screen.

To inform the EPA of a transfer of ownership of a registered abstraction, email the details to licensing@epa.ie citing “Water Abstraction” in the subject line.

The new owner must register on the EPA’s Environmental Data Exchange Network (EDEN) system (see guidance on signing up for an EDEN account).

You will receive an email from the EPA confirming that your request to transfer the Abstraction Registration has been completed.

(Note: If ownership changes, a separate transfer process applies, see our Licence Surrender and Transfer page for more information).

You must inform the EPA that a registered abstraction is no longer operating by emailing the details to licensing@epa.ie as soon as possible, citing “Water Abstraction” in the subject line. Please quote your water abstraction register number and provide the date that the abstraction ceased.

(Note: If you have stopped, or plan to stop, a licensed abstraction, a separate process applies. See our Licence Surrender and Transfer page for more information.)

To update your contact information for a water abstraction licence or registration, follow the steps in the EPA's Environmental Data exchange Network (EDEN) system guidance on how to change your contact details.

Climate change considerations are taken into account by the EPA when considering a licence application and, in the case of a decision to grant a licence, when setting licence conditions. In making an abstraction licence application, the applicant arranges for assessments to be carried out, including assessments of the abstraction against the criteria set out in the EPA publication Water Abstractions and Associated Impoundments - Methodology to Assess and Identify Significant Abstractions in Ireland. The assessment(s) may highlight the need for drought management or other mitigation measures which will be considered by EPA when setting conditions.  

Further, the Water Environment (Abstractions and Associated Impoundments) Act 2022 requires the EPA to carry out a significance assessment for certain abstractions.  The EPA reviews the significance assessment every six years and may potentially require changes to licence conditions, to protect or restore a water body status and achieve Water Framework Directive environmental objectives in light of environmental changes.

Yes. Conditions attached to a licence can be reviewed/amended on application by the licensee.  The EPA may also amend a licence under prescribed circumstances. 

The EPA reviews abstractions every six years to determine if they remain sustainable and compliant with Water Framework Directive environmental objectives. Following these reviews under Section 18 of the Act, the Agency may require changes to licence conditions to protect or restore water body status and achieve Water Framework Directive environmental objectives.

See also the FAQ How is climate change (e.g., droughts, low flows) factored in?”

Yes. Under the Water Environment (Abstractions and Associated Impoundments) Act 2022, the EPA can revoke or suspend a licence if the licensee fails to meet their obligations, does not comply with licence conditions, provides false or misleading information, or if the abstraction has ceased for a prolonged period. Revocation follows a formal procedure, and the EPA may attach conditions to the revocation or suspension. The decision can be appealed to the High Court within eight weeks, with an appeal suspending the revocation until the court rules on the matter.

The EPA ensures compliance with the Water Environment (Abstractions and Associated Impoundments) Act 2022 and its associated regulations by conducting environmental inspections of licensed abstractions and abstractions determined to require a licence. The legislation provides for an annual fee for the enforcement of the abstractions licence.  See the FAQ What fees are applicable to registration or licensing?. 

Local authorities ensure compliance by conducting environmental inspections on abstractions between 25 and 1,999 m³/day inclusive unless licensed or determined to require a licence by the EPA. Abstractions less than 25 m³/day may also be inspected if deemed appropriate.

Obligations under Part 2 of the S.I. No. 419/2024 - Water Environment (Abstractions and Associated Impoundments) Regulations 2024 apply to both these abstraction categories unless they a deemed exempted abstractions.

The consequences of non-compliance with the Water Environment (Abstractions and Associated Impoundments) Act 2022 and S.I. No. 418/2024 – Water Environment (Abstractions and Associated Impoundments) (Licensing Fees) Regulations 2024 can include the issuance of compliance notices, revocation of a licence and potential legal action by the regulatory authorities to enforce compliance.

Any person guilty of an offence under the Water Environment (Abstractions and Associated Impoundments) Act 2022 and S.I. No. 418/2024 – Water Environment (Abstractions and Associated Impoundments) (Licensing Fees) Regulations 2024 shall, depending on the relevant section of the Act, be liable on summary conviction to a class A fine  (up to €5,000) or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or both and, on conviction on indictment, to a fine of up to €15 million or imprisonment for a term up to 10 years or both.  See the section on Offences and penalties in the Act for full details.

Contact the EPA by emailing licensing@epa.ie citing “Water Abstraction” in the subject line. Where applicable, please quote your water abstraction register number in correspondence.