While the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Water Quality in Ireland Report 2016-2021 shows that water quality in Ireland is not as good as it should be, there were some positive trends.

In the EPA’s report, Cork, which has the highest number of dairy cows in the country (394,777), had the highest proportion of rivers monitored (73%) with ‘high’ or ‘good’ ecological status.

However, the county with the next highest number of dairy cows (182,711), Tipperary, only had 33% of its monitored rivers categorised in this way.

Some 67% of its monitored rivers had ‘moderate’ or ‘poor’ ecological status.

On this, Teagasc’s agricultural sustainability support and advisory programme (ASSAP) manager Noel Meehan said farming in Cork is impacting estuaries, not rivers, whereas in Tipperary, the impact is seen in the rivers themselves.

Agriculture is by far and away the biggest pressure on water quality

The water quality in the country’s rivers and lakes declined by 1% and 3% respectively, while the water quality in estuaries and coastal water bodies decreased by 16% and 10%.

Overall, he said that it is “disappointing” to see that there is still a negative trend and warned that “agriculture is by far and away the biggest pressure on water quality”.

However, Meehan suggested that there is an appetite among farmers to improve things, “particularly in the dairy side of the house” as he said they see how environmental trends are “going to impact profits in future”.

Communication with and providing funding to farmers are key to this, said Meehan.

While acknowledging that the country’s 800 odd farm advisers are already stretched as is, he said this group needs to put water quality protection measures front and centre when working with farmers.

Urgent action needed

The EPA has said that urgent and targeted action is needed to cut nitrogen emissions from agriculture and said there needs to be full implementation of and compliance with the Good Agricultural Practice Regulations.

The Sustainable Water Network called for a licensing system for the dairy and beef sectors in order to control their collective impact on water pollution.