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 relate 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. 

There is no fee associated with registering your abstraction with the EPA. 

The Water Environment (Abstractions and Associated Impoundments) (Licensing Fees) Regulations 2024 S.I. No. 418/2024 sets fees applicable to water abstraction licensing activities. These are summarised in the table below:

Consult the regulations for further information. If applying for a licence, also see How to apply for a water abstraction licence.

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 EDEN will be “screening”.

For a proposed new abstraction between 25 and 1,999 cubic metres /day inclusive or any increase to an existing abstraction such that revised abstraction volume will be in the range of 25 – 1,999m³/day, assessment(s) to determine if a licence is required usually take up to 2 months. This assessment period may be longer in certain circumstances. Such new or increased abstractions cannot commence until authorised to do so.

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.

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) website (see guidance on signing up for an EDEN account).

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

(Note: Transfer of ownership of a licensed abstraction follows a different process. See here 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 ceased or intend to cease carrying out a licensed abstraction, a different process applies.  See here for more information.)

To update your contact information for a water abstraction licence or registration, follow the steps in the EDEN guidance on How to change your contact details.

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.

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.

Under Regulation 3(2) of S.I. No. 418/2024 - Water Environment (Abstractions and Associated Impoundments) (Licensing Fees) Regulations 2024, the EPA may, at its sole discretion, having had regard to the circumstances of the case, reduce or waive, by whatever amount it considers appropriate, a fee payable. 

You can apply for a reduction in or a waiver of the fee to accompany an application for a licence by filling in this form and returning it to licensing@epa.ie.  Please cite “Water Abstraction” in the email subject line.

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 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.

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.