New water quality data from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) suggests that nitrogen concentrations in waters nationally have reduced in the first half of 2024 relative to other years.

The data also shows that nitrogen levels are at the lowest they have been since 2016.

The report is based on the nitrates concentration data for 20 representative river monitoring sites, which are situated at the most downstream monitoring locations on the major rivers around Ireland.

The EPA said that although the data is based on a limited number of monitoring stations, the data provides “a good representation of nitrogen concentrations nationally and are likely to reflect the overall situation for 2024”.

The location of the early insights nitrogen indicator monitoring stations and their catchments. \ EPA

Director of the EPA Dr Eimear Cotter said that these early insights suggest a “move in the right direction”.

Successive EPA reports have identified that nitrate concentrations are too high in the east, southeast and south of the country and that there are a number of catchments of concern in areas where nitrate concentrations need to be reduced to improve water quality.

The EPA also compared January to June nitrates concentrations at the early insight representative monitoring sites that are located inside the catchments of concern, with the equivalent data for catchments in the west and northwest of the country which are currently largely meeting their nitrogen targets.

Early insight nitrogen concentrations for the January to June period of each year from 2016 to 2024 at 20 representative sites located around the country. \ EPA

“The data show that while the overall trajectory of change over time is proportionally similar inside and outside the catchments of concern, there is a marked difference in the absolute nitrates concentrations between the two groups of sites, which reflects the differences in farm practices, soil types and climate conditions in these regions,” it said.

The EPA said that the purpose of the report is to provide an early insight into nitrogen concentrations in major rivers in Ireland on a six-monthly basis, in advance of the more comprehensive annual water quality assessments which are published on an annual basis.

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