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EPA: What are significant water abstractions and how will they be assessed?

A new guidance document detailing the methodology to assess the impact of abstractions on waterbodies and identify significant abstractions in Ireland.

An abstraction is the removal or diversion of water from, for example, a river, lake, stream, spring, groundwater well or borehole. Water abstractions and their associated impoundment need to be regulated so that our rivers, lakes, and groundwaters can be managed and protected.

The EPA is the competent authority for licensing water abstractions. Any abstraction equal to or greater than 2,000 m³/day will require an abstraction licence. Any abstraction between 25 m³/day and <2,000 m³/day will be assessed by the EPA to determine if it is a significant abstraction. If an abstraction is deemed to be significant, an abstraction licence will be required.

The EPA has published a technical guidance document detailing the methodologies and hydrological limits that will be used by the EPA to assess the impact of abstractions on waterbodies and to determine if abstractions are significant abstractions.

Click to download the guidance document.

Abstraction Regulations and the New Licensing Process

This presentation gives an overview of the main provisions of the Abstractions Regulations introduced in Ireland from Augst 2024. It explains the background to the authorisation regime, what abstractions are taking place in Ireland and obligations on those who abstract. Information on supports available to people to comply with regulatory requirements is provided.

Learn more

EPA Water Abstractions: Water abstraction | Environmental Protection Agency

About author

EPA Catchments Unit

Administrator

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.