World Water Day – Minister Noonan welcomes €1.2m for water quality projects nationwide
Today, on World Water Day, the Local Authority Waters Programme (LAWPRO), working on behalf of Ireland’s 31 local authorities to […]
Read Morecatchments.ie shares science and stories about Ireland’s water catchments, and people’s connections to their water.
For water, a catchment is simply defined as an area of land around a river, lake or other body of water.
Living in a catchment that has healthy water can help a community to have a better quality of life.
A healthy water catchment provides high-quality drinking water and supports livelihoods such as agriculture, recreational angling and water sports. It also supports local ecosystems so plants, animals, fish and insects that depend on having healthy water can thrive and flourish.
Water quality and quantity in Ireland is monitored and assessed under the Water Framework Directive (WFD). The WFD is implemented through River Basin Management Plans (RBMPs).
This website is a collaboration between the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Local Authority Waters Programme.
This site has been developed, and is hosted and maintained, by the Environmental Protection Agency.
Today, on World Water Day, the Local Authority Waters Programme (LAWPRO), working on behalf of Ireland’s 31 local authorities to […]
Read MoreWorld Water Day, held on 22 March every year since 1993, is an annual United Nations Observance focusing on the […]
Read MoreThe EPA hydrology bulletin for February is now available to download. Rainfall was above the long-term average in most locations. […]
Read MoreQuite simply, everyone in Ireland has a role to play. This can be from something as simple as making sure you don’t pollute your local stream, or a local community working together to establish a Rivers Trust to enhance the rivers and lakes in their area, to a Government Department or Agency helping a Minister implement a new policy to help protect and enhance all our water bodies.
This website has been developed and is maintained by the Environmental Protection Agency, and is a collaboration between the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Local Authority Waters Programme.
The Local Authority Waters Programme coordinates the efforts of local authorities and other public bodies in the implementation of the River Basin Management Plan, and supports local community and stakeholder involvement in managing our natural waters, for everyone’s benefit.
The EPA is responsible for coordinating the monitoring, assessment and reporting on the status of our 4,842 water bodies, looking at trends and changes, determining which waterbodies are at risk and what could be causing this, and drafting environmental objectives for each.
The Department is responsible for making sure that the right policies, regulations and resources are in place to implement the Water Framework Directive, and developing a River Basin Management Plan and Programme of Measures to protect and restore our waters.