2026 EPA Water Conference
The EPA Water Conference 2026 took place on 17 and 18 June 2026 at the Galway Bay Hotel, Salthill, Galway, and online. This year’s conference, focused on the theme “Strengthening the Measures”
The 2026 conference focused on the key themes of policy implementation, water services, community action, targeted measures and restoration, reflecting the priorities of Ireland’s Water Action Plan and the Water Framework Directive.
2026 EPA Water Conference – Conference Programme
2026 EPA Water Conference – Videos
1) Setting the Scene
| 1. Welcome address | Roni Hawe Director of the EPA’s Office of Evidence & Assessment, Environmental Protection Agency |
| 2. Minister’s address | Christopher O’Sullivan Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage with special responsibility for Nature, heritage and Biodiversity |
| 3. Department update on implementation of the Water Action Plan | Emma Quinlan Water Scientific Policy Adviser – Water Advisory Unit, Department of Housing, Local Government & Heritage |
| 4. The Water Forum’s vision for the 4th Water Action Plan | Dr. Triona McGrath Research and Policy Lead, National Water Forum |
2) Water Services
| 5. Addressing infrastructural and operational deficiencies in Urban Waste Water | Jim Fitzgerald Regional Operations Manager, Uisce Éireann |
| 6. Preventing problems before they arise: Introducing the Drinking Water Resilience Improvement List | Patrick Chan Senior Inspector, Drinking Water Team, Environmental Protection Agency |
| 7. Registration of small wastewater discharges a new regulatory approach | Jim Moriarty Senior Inspector, Dumping at Sea and Water Regulation, Environmental Protection Agency |
| 8. A review of the National Inspection Plan for Domestic Waste Water Treatment System | Dr. Chris Fennell Inspector 1, Waste Water Enforcement Team Environmental Protection Agency |
3) Working with Communities
| 9. Our Ladys Island Campaign | Eoin Kinsella Executive Agricultural Scientist, Wexford County Council |
| 10. Shellfish in coastal waters | Dr. Vera O’Donovan Regional Development Manager, Bord Iascaigh Mhara |
| 11. Stranoodan Group Water Scheme Protecting water at the source | Ross MacDonald Source Protection Officer, Stranoodan Group Water Scheme |
| 12. Better Farming for Water – Using a multi actor approach to improving water quality in priority catchments | Noel Meehan Head of Water Quality Knowledge Transfer Department, Teagasc |
4) Targeting Action
| 13. Developments in the evidence base to target and track measures | Dr. Eoin McAleer Senior Scientific Officer, Environmental Protection Agency |
| 14. Catchment science informing actions | Ruth Hennessy Catchment Manager, LAWPRO |
| 15. The right measure in the right place: Using scientific data to inform engineering decisions for achieving Water Framework Directive objectives | John Stack Senior Executive Engineer, Dublin City Council |
| 16. Water European Innovation Partnership | Mairéad Whitty Project Lead, Farming for Water EIP |
5) Restoring our Waters
| 17. Waters of LIFE: Issues and actions for high status rivers | Anne Goggin Department of Housing Local Government & Heritage |
| 18. Aligning nature restoration with broader environmental policies | Derek McLoughlin Project Manager, Wild Atlantic Nature, LIFE IP |
| 19. Wild Atlantic Salmon – A species in crisis and a beacon of hope | Prof. Ken Whelan Vice President, Atlantic Salmon Trust Alison Baker Restoration Director, Atlantic Salmon Trust |
Presentations
Day 1
Session 1: Setting the Scene :
Department update on implementation of the Water Action Plan – Emma Quinlan
The Water Forum’s vision for the 4th Water Action Plan – Dr. Triona McGrath
Session 2: Water Services
Addressing infrastructural and operational deficiencies in Urban Waste Water – Jim Fitzgerald
Registration of small wastewater discharges: A new regulatory approach – Jim Moriarty
Session 3: Working with Communities
Our Lady’s Island Campaign – Eoin Kinsella
Shellfish in coastal waters – Dr. Vera O’Donovan
Stranoodan Group Water Scheme: Protecting water at the source – Ross MacDonald
Day 2
Session 4: Targeting Action
Developments in the evidence base to target and track measures – Dr. Eoin McAleer
Catchment science informing actions – Ruth Hennessy
Water European Innovation Partnership – Mairéad Whitty
Session 5: Restoring our Waters
Waters of LIFE: Issues and actions for high status rivers – Anne Goggin
Aligning nature restoration with broader environmental policies – Derek McLoughlin
Wild Atlantic Salmon: A species in crisis and a beacon of hope – Prof. Ken Whelan and Alison Baker
2025 EPA Water Conference
2024 EPA Water Conference
2023 EPA Water Conference
2022 EPA Water Conference
2021 EPA Water Conference
2020 EPA Water Conference
2019 EPA Water Conference
The EPA’s National Water Event for 2019 took place on May 29 and 30 in The Galway Bay Hotel. Over the course of 2 days, 6 sessions were held, covering all aspects of water quality, health and the importance of public engagement. Click the below link to view presentations from the event.
Learn more:
You can watch all EPA Water Conference videos, along with recordings from other EPA events covering a wide range of environmental topics, on the EPA Ireland YouTube channel. Visit EPA Ireland on YouTube to explore the full collection.
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.