EPA launches site for people to check local water quality

It will have water-related environmental data, including maps and community-based stories, making it easier for people to get information about water quality and to get involved in protecting their local catchment.

Explaining the name of catchments.ie, Paddy Morris of the EPA’s Catchment Science and Management Unit, said: "We all live in catchments, whether it is the catchment area for a school or hospital, or a catchment area for a local stream, river, lake or coastal water.

"For water, a catchment is simply defined as an area of land contributing to a river, lake or other waterbody. Living in a catchment that has healthy water can help a community have a better quality of life – the water can help make sure local people have high quality drinking water, support livelihoods like agriculture, recreational angling or water sports, and also support local ecosystems, so plants, animals, fish and insects that depend on having healthy water can thrive and flourish."

The website is also designed to be accessible on smart phones and other devices.

Dr Matt Crowe, Director of the EPA’s Office of Evidence and Assessment said: "Clean, healthy and well-protected waters are a very important part of the fabric of Irish life. They support recreation and tourism, are the source of clean and wholesome drinking water for many of our citizens and add to the reputation of Ireland as a country with a green, clean and well protected environment.

"Water is all around us and this new dedicated website will make it easier for people to get information about the quality of their local river, lake, estuary or the hidden waters below ground. catchments.ie will also provide information about what people can do to help protect their local water catchment."

The EPA’s most recent figures for water quality show that 47% of our rivers, 57% of our lakes, 55% of our estuaries and 7% of our coastal waters require improvement to meet the Water Framework Directive good status requirements.

Pollution from humans and animals remains the most significant issue for waters in Ireland.

Overall, water quality in Ireland is among the best in Europe.

Simon Coveney, Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government said: "The protection and restoration of our waters can only be fully achieved when all sectors of society commit to that goal. As Minister with responsibility for ensuring that Ireland meets the targets set out in the Water Framework Directive I want to see a real bottom-up engagement on the value of our natural waters.

"This new website brings together a range of actors, information and communities and will be an invaluable resource to support the integrated approach to catchment management and water environment improvements that this Government is committed to.”