'Red alert' - Water quality in almost half of Ireland's rivers, lakes, and estuaries substandard

The Sustainable Water Network (SWAN), a network of 25 of Ireland’s leading environmental organisations, said the Government must introduce an effective plan "to address Ireland’s escalating water pollution crisis". File picture: Denis Minihane

The state of rivers, lakes, and estuaries has been described by as "profoundly alarming" by environmentalists and conservationists after it emerged nearly half of Ireland's water quality is substandard.

Only just over half of rivers, lakes, estuaries, and coastal waters are in satisfactory condition, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which warned the further decline in water quality means Ireland is currently off course to meet the EU and national goal of restoring all waters to good or better status in the next five years.