10 high status rivers in the Northern Sound region are at risk if action isn’t taken to reduce nutrients entering waterways.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has today published the Water Quality Indicators Report 2019 which provides an assessment on Ireland’s surface water and groundwater quality.
It has found that just over half of Irish surface waters are in a satisfactory condition, however, the increased presence of phosphate and nitrates in waterways could lead to a loss of life and habitats nationwide.
Locally, phosphate is the biggest threat, with agriculture creating a pathway for the nutrient to enter waterways.
Wayne Trodd, an EPA Scientific Officer, says that action must be taken to turn back the downward trend, especially in our local high status areas:
