The EPA has published an early insights bulletin into nitrogen levels in major rivers in Ireland for the period January to June 2024. These early insights are based on the nitrate levels for 20 representative river monitoring sites. These sites are situated at the most downstream monitoring locations on the major rivers around Ireland.
The data indicates that nitrogen levels in waters nationally have reduced in the first half of 2024 compared to other years, and that they could be at the lowest they have been since 2016.
Although based on a limited number of monitoring stations, these data provide a good representation of nitrogen concentrations nationally, and are likely to reflect the overall situation for 2024.
“The EPA continually strives to produce timely information and evidence on Ireland’s environment. Specifically, this bulletin responds to a need for early insights into trends of nitrate levels in waters. Successive EPA reports have identified that nitrate levels are too high in the east, southeast and south of the country and that these need to be reduced to improve water quality. These early insights suggest a move in the right direction, with nitrogen levels reduced at the 20 representative sites, for the first 6 months of 2024, compared to the same period in previous years.”
Dr Eimear Cotter, Director of the Office of Evidence and Assessment
A full analysis of national annual nitrogen concentrations for 2024, using data from over 1500 monitoring stations from rivers, groundwaters and estuaries, will be published in 2025.
The next 6-monthly update for the early insight indicator will be published in Quarter 1 of 2025.
The EPA Catchments Unit is based in Dublin, and the team is involved with catchment science, chemistry, ecology, hydromorphology, modelling, Geographic Information Systems and planning. We work with the wider EPA, all of our local authorities, the Local Authority Waters and Communities Office, the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government, and other public bodies and Departments to ensure we have the best available data and information about our catchments.
Who is involved?
Quite simply, everyone in Ireland has a role to play. This can be from something as simple as making sure you don’t pollute your local stream, or a local community working together to establish a Rivers Trust to enhance the rivers and lakes in their area, to a Government Department or Agency helping a Minister implement a new policy to help protect and enhance all our water bodies.
This website has been developed and is maintained by the Environmental Protection Agency, and is a collaboration between the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Local Authority Waters Programme.
Local Authority Waters Programme
The Local Authority Waters Programme coordinates the efforts of local authorities and other public bodies in the implementation of the River Basin Management Plan, and supports local community and stakeholder involvement in managing our natural waters, for everyone’s benefit.
Environmental Protection Agency
The EPA is responsible for coordinating the monitoring, assessment and reporting on the status of our 4,842 water bodies, looking at trends and changes, determining which waterbodies are at risk and what could be causing this, and drafting environmental objectives for each.
Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage
The Department is responsible for making sure that the right policies, regulations and resources are in place to implement the Water Framework Directive, and developing a River Basin Management Plan and Programme of Measures to protect and restore our waters.
