Monitoring & assessment: Freshwater and Marine

The EPA Water Programme works with others to monitor and assess the health of our rivers, lakes, estuaries and coastal waters under the Water Framework Directive. Fresh, clean water is vital for all life on earth. Ireland has some of the best water quality and cleanest beaches in Europe. Ireland’s climate means that there is usually enough water to meet the needs of its people and the surrounding environment.

Browse by Freshwater and Marine

Rivers

Learn more about the national river monitoring programme of the EPA.

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Lakes

Learn more about the lakes monitoring programme of the EPA.

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Lake monitoring programme

Estuaries and coastal waters

Learn more about the marine monitoring programme of the EPA.

Estuaries and coastal waters

Marine monitoring programme

Groundwater

The EPA role in monitoring Groundwater in Ireland

Groundwater

Catchment science and management

The EPA Water Programme works with others so we have the best understanding of the health of our waters.

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Catchment science and management

Latest publications in Freshwater & Marine

Water Quality in Ireland 2023 Indicators report lrg feature item

Water Quality in 2023

An Indicators Report

This report provides an update on the quality of water in Ireland's rivers, lakes, transitional and coastal waters and groundwater using information collected in 2023

Bathing Water Quality in Ireland 2023

A report for the year 2023

The 2023 EPA Bathing Water report sets out bathing water quality at Ireland's designated bathing waters.

Water Quality in Ireland 2016 – 2021

Summary Report

This report provides summary information on the status of our rivers, lakes, estuaries, coastal waters (known collectively as surface waters) and groundwaters. It is based on information collected over a 6-year period from 2016 to 2021 under Ireland’s national water quality monitoring programme from over 4,000 surface water bodies and 514 groundwater bodies.

Latest News and Press Releases

in: Freshwater and Marine

EPA publishes full monitoring network results of nitrogen and phosphorus levels in Irish waters for 2024

Date released: July 02, 2025

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has today published the full monitoring network results of the levels of nitrogen and phosphorus in Irish waters in 2024.

High standards achieved for Bathing Water quality in 2024, but challenges remain during heavy rainfall

Date released: May 07, 2025

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has today published the Bathing Water Quality in Ireland report for 2024 which shows that water quality at most of Ireland’s bathing waters was of a high standard.

There has been a welcome reduction in nitrogen levels in rivers in 2024, says EPA

Date released: March 18, 2025

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has today published early insights into nitrogen levels in rivers in 2024. The Early Insights Nitrogen Indicator 2024 has been developed to provide more timely information on nitrogen levels and is based on monitoring data at 20 major and representative rivers.