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

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.

There are no signs yet of an improvement in water quality and more action is needed, says EPA

Date released: June 11, 2024

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has today published Water Quality in 2023: An Indicators Report. The report provides an update of the key indicators of the quality of Ireland’s rivers, lakes, estuaries, coastal and groundwaters using monitoring data collected in 2023.

Bathing water quality remains high overall, but heavy summer rainfall is putting pressure on our beaches

Date released: May 15, 2024

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has today published the Bathing Water Quality in Ireland report for 2023 which shows that water quality at the majority of Ireland’s bathing waters was of a high standard.