River and Lake Water Quality Monitoring

Laois Council Council monitor water quality in rivers and lakes to safeguard public health and protect the environment.

Water Quality Protection.

Good quality surface waters and groundwater is vital and everyone can contribute to protecting and improving the quality of our surface waters and groundwater. From the most recent monitoring data collected from 2016-2021, 56% of our rivers in County Laois are  of Good or High water quality status with 44% of our rivers considered unsatisfactory in relation to water quality. Water is essential for all living things but when the quality of the water deteriorates then we all have to do something about it.

Water Framework Directive and the River Basin Management Plan for Ireland.

It was the need to protect and improve water quality in Europe that the Water Framework Directive was enacted in 2000 and the publication of River Basin Management Plans.  Under the Water Framework Directive, Ireland is required to produce a river basin management plan and the current plan covers the period 2022-2027.  The aim of the Water Action Plan 2024: A river Basin Management Plan for Ireland is to ensure that our natural waters are sustainably managed and protected so as to maintain and improve Irelands water environment.

  • The main causes for deterioration in County Laois are the increasing loss into water of polluting phosphorus and nitrogen from farmland, physical impacts on water bodies due to river barriers and drainage of lands, forestry and inadequately treated wastewater from urban areas.
  • Laois County Council implements the River Basin management Plan by monitoring the quality of water in our rivers and groundwater and implementing the programme of measures. These measures include identifying point and diffuse sources of pollution, awareness raising  and enforcing existing legislation.
  • Laois County Council carry out inspections in the areas of agriculture, septic tanks, commercial and industrial premises, illegal dumping etc. The principle objective of the inspections is to improve water quality through participation with all the community within the catchment.
  • In Laois, the River Nore is an SAC (Special Area of Conservation) and home to the Freshwater Pearl Mussel (Margaritifera durrovensis), a critically endangered species. The quality of the population’s habitat is failing due to siltation and algal growth in the River Nore. The objective of the Water Framework Directive is to prevent the deterioration of and restore Good Status to this habitat.

Other key legislation in Ireland used for the protection of waters include:

  • Local Government (Water Pollution) Acts 1977-1990, as amended

It is an offence under Section 3 of the Local Government (Water Pollution) Acts, 1977 to 2007 to cause or permit any polluting matter to enter waters.  A person who permits polluting matter to enter waters shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable to prosecution by the Local Authority. Pollution may originate from various sources such as agriculture, forestry or industry.

  • European Communities Environmental objectives (Surface Waters) Regulations 2009

These regulations:

  • Establish legally binding water quality objectives
  • Examine and review of discharge licenses to companies discharging to waters
  • Classification of waters for the purpose of the Water Framework Directive
  • Establishment of inventories of priority substances by the EPA
  • European Communities (Good Agricultural Practice for the Protection of Waters) Regulations, 2022 as amended.

Water Pollution and Reporting.

Invertebrates (or insects) live in our rivers, streams and lakes and they are good indicators of water pollution levels. These bugs like clean water and you know the water quality of these waterways by looking at the invertebrates that live in it.

Only 5% of rivers in County Laois are of High Status and only a little over half of our rivers are considered to be Good status. Its everyone’s job to help prevent and report water pollution if they come across pollution.

If you see water pollution please contact the Environment Section at :

environmentadmin@laoiscoco.ie

Telephone: 057-8689315

Monitoring Rivers and Groundwaters.

Laois County Council staff carry out extensive environmental monitoring of water quality in our rivers and groundwaters. When excessive amounts of nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus enter our waterways they cause an increase in the growth of plants and algae. This in turn clogs up our watercourses, uses up oxygen and harms other aquatic life such as insects and fish.

The most recent monitoring report Water Quality in Ireland Report 2016-2021 found that:

  • In Ireland over half (54%) of our surface waters are in satisfactory ecological health
  • This means that at least half (46%) of the surface water bodies in Ireland are not as ecologically healthy or resilient as they should be. 

  • Half of rivers (50%) are in high or good ecological status

    Agriculture is the most significant pressure on water bodies in County Laois. The main causes for deterioration in water quality in County Laois are the increasing loss into water of polluting phosphorus and nitrogen from farmland, physical impacts on water bodies due to river barriers and drainage of lands, forestry and inadequately treated wastewater from urban areas.

  • Pressures on water quality come from quarries, invasive species and unsatisfactory domestic wastewater treatment systems. See the below links for further information:
  • https://www.epa.ie/publications/monitoring--assessment/freshwater--marine/water-quality-in-ireland-2016--2021-
  • www.catchment.ie
  • www.epa.ie

Agriculture & Land spreading.

Agriculture is a significant agri-food industry within Laois, with 70% of lands in Laois for Agricultural use. Agriculture is one of the main activities which can have an impact on water quality and has been identified as a significant pressure. The EU Nitrate Directive and the European Union (Good Agricultural Practices for Protection of Waters) Regulations provides a statutory basis for ensuring good agricultural practices are in place to protect our water quality within the County.

Landspreading.

The European Union(Good Agricultural Practices for Protection of Waters) Regulations, 2022 as amended (known as the GAP Regulations) details the requirements regarding the collection, storage, management and landspreading of farmyard manure, organic fertiliser and soiled water produced on a farm holding.   In relation to land spreading activities, the regulations detail requirements as to the manner of application of organic fertiliser, weather conditions, and periods of the year when land spreading is prohibited.

Organic and chemical fertilisers or soiled water shall not be applied to land:

  • By use of an umbilical system with an upward-facing splash-plate.
  • By use of a tanker with an upward-facing splash-plate.
  • By use of a sludge irrigator mounted on a tanker, or
  • From a road or passageway adjacent to the land irrespective of whether the road or passageway is within or outside the cartilage of the holding.

Fertilisers or soiled water shall not be applied to land in any of the following circumstances:

  • The land is waterlogged.
  • The land is flooded or likely to flood.
  • The land is snow covered or frozen.
  • Heavy rain is forecast within 48 hours. Farmers are to have due regard for weather forecasts issued by Met Eireann.
  • 5m of surface watercourses. The 5m distance shall be increased to 10m for a period of two weeks preceding and two weeks following the prohibited land spreading period.
  • 20m of a lake shoreline or turlough likely to flood.
  • The ground slopes steeply and there is a risk of water pollution having regard to factors such as surface run-off pathways, the presence of land drains, the absence of hedgerows to mitigate surface run-off, soil condition, and ground cover.

Recommended Buffer Distances for Landspreading & FYM Storage:

1.5m    Fencing of bovines from waters 

3.0m    Spreading of chemical fertilizer to surface waters

5.0m    Spreading of Organic Fertiliser to surface waters 

10m     Spreading of Organic Fertiliser to surface waters 2 weeks either side of closed period 

• Spreading of Organic Fertiliser on steeply sloped lands 

15m     Spreading of Organic Fertiliser to Karst feature 

20m     Spreading of Organic Fertiliser to lake/turlough.

FYM storage distance from waters/lake 

25m     Spreading Organic Fertiliser from drinking water abstraction <10m3

50m     FYM storage from Karst feature or abstraction of drinking water <10m3 

100m   Spreading Organic Fertiliser from drinking water abstraction 10m3 – 100m3 

200m   Spreading Organic Fertiliser from drinking water abstraction >100m3 

 

250m   FYM storage from drinking water abstraction >10m3 

 

Laois County Council regulate landspreading activities within the County and the GAP regulations specify the period during which the application of fertilisers to land is prohibited in County Laois.

Prohibited periods for landing Spreading in Laois

  • Chemical Fertiliser - 15th September 2024 to 26th January 2025 
  • Organic Fertiliser – 1st October 2024 to 12th January 2025 
  • Farmyard Manure - 1st November 2024 to 12thJanuary 2025 

 

Please be aware landspreading outside of these dates is an offence under the European Union (Good Agricultural Practices for Protection of Waters) Regulations, 2022 as amended.

Farm Inspections

Laois County Council carry out targeted farm inspections to protect our watercourses from potential pollution.  These farms are selected on a catchment basis, identifying any significant pressures within a catchment such as watercourses at risk of water quality deterioration, also any risks in relation to drinking water sources.  Farm inspections may also be carried out in response to an agricultural water pollution complaint incident. 

See the below links for further information:

Teagasc Green Book https://www.teagasc.ie/publications/2020/major--micro-nutrient-advice-for-productive-agricultural-crops.php

Legislation.

From a legislative point of view Laois County Council are statutory obliged to enforce the following legislation regarding farming activities: 

Good Agricultural Practice for the Protection of Waters (GAP) Regulations

European Union (Good Agricultural Practice for Protection of Waters) Regulations 2022. (GAP Regs 2022), provide statutory support for good agricultural practice to protect waters against pollution from agricultural sources and include measures such as:

  • Set periods when landspreading is prohibited
  • Limits on land application of fertilisers
  • Storage requirements for organic fertiliser
  • Monitoring of the effectiveness of the measures in terms of agricultural practice and impact on water quality.

  • The duties and implications for farmers are outlined under the following headings:

    Farmyard Management 

  • Minimisation of soiled water
  • Provision and management of storage facilities
  • General obligations as to capacity of storage facilities
  • Capacity of storage facilities for effluents and soiled water
  • Capacity of storage facilities for organic fertiliser
  • Reduced storage capacity in certain circumstances
  • Nutrient Management – 
  • Duty of occupier in relation to nutrient management
  • Prevention of Water Pollution from fertilisers & certain activities – 
  • Distances from water bodies & other issues
  • Requirements in relation to application of organic fertiliser & soiled water
  • Periods when application of spreading fertiliser is prohibited
  • Limits on the amount of livestock manure applied

  • Ploughing & use of non-selective herbicides

    General 

  • General duty of occupier
  • Keeping records by occupier
  • False or misleading information
  • Offences and related matters

Safe Use of Pesticides/Herbicides

It is very important to responsibly handle and use pesticides and herbicides to prevent the contamination of waters and drinking water supplies.

It is essential to take great care when storing, handling or using any pesticide/herbicide as even a trace amount going down a drain or entering a watercourse can affect water quality or end up in drinking water.

For more information check out the Environment Protection Agency at www.epa.ie