Improving Ireland's water quality a 'core requirement' for Irish farmers

Just over half of Irish surface water bodies (rivers, lakes, estuaries and coastal waters) achieved at least good status in the latest EPA Water Quality in Ireland report, with the primary challenge being too much Phosphate and Nitrogen 

Bushe's Island, near Lismore, Co Waterford in the River Blackwater. The Munster Blackwater River Catchment currently has 66% of surface water bodies with high or good status. Picture: Dan MacCarthy

Readings from Munster Blackwater monitoring stations made the water quality problem clear for farmers at the recent Teagasc National Dairy Conference.

At Lismore bridge, measurements in 2023 indicated that phosphate pollution decreased from 2007 to 2023, to less than the national average levels in 2023. The phosphate concentrations at Lismore bridge are almost low enough to support high water quality status. However, nitrogen levels were higher than that required to support good water quality, and there was no indication of any 2007 to 2023 reduction.