Dramatic fall in river water quality

THERE has been a dramatic decline in Ireland’s high quality river water over the last 21 years, from 600 clean rivers to less than 60, a new report by the Environmental Protection Agency reveals.

The percentage of high ecological quality river sites almost halved between 1987 and 2008 – from almost 30% to less than 17%.

Suspected causes of the decline are nutrient inputs, siltation and acidification associated with activities such as forestry, agriculture and housing development.