Kildare Water Quality: Nutrient Pollutants In The Barrow Need To Be Cut By 50% To Meet Targets

Monday, 17 October 2022 10:30

By Caoimhe Harney

The Sustainable Water Network said that the only way to achieve this is to de-intensify agriculture along he river.

The River Barrow has 50% more nutrient pollutants in it than it should have, according to Sinead O Brien, Coordinator, Sustainable Water Network.

"It needs to be cut by 50% by 2027 if we're to have a hope of reaching our targets for that river.

"And to do that we're going to not only stop more intensification of agriculture we're going to have de-intensify agriculture in that catchment," she insisted.

The water quality of Ireland's lakes, rivers, estuaries and coastal waters has declined in the last five years, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

In its latest Water Quality in Ireland Report 2016 to 2021, it notes that just over half of Ireland's surface waters are in satisfactory condition.

"The Liffey, is a bit like the rest of the country, it's agriculture pollution and urban discharges," that impact the water quality said Ms 0' Brien,.

"In Kildare, it's more agriculture and wastewater treatment," that are affecting the quality of the water, she added.

The EPA said that if the current level of progress continues, Ireland will fail to meet the EU and national goal of restoring all waters to good, or better, status by 2027.

The agency said the deterioration in estuaries and coastal waters is mostly along the southeast and southern seaboards and is due to agricultural run-off.

Urgent action is needed to reduce nitrogen emissions from agriculture in these areas, the EPA has said.

The report said the overall ecological health of lakes, rivers, estuaries and coastal waters has declined, meaning these water bodies are less able to support healthy ecosystems for fish, insects and plants.

Sinead O' Brien, Co- Ordinator, Sustainable Water Network, spoke with Ciara Noble on Monday morning's Kildare Today: