The importance of the small stream network in Ireland
What are Small Streams? Small streams have been defined in many different ways but they are generally considered to lie […]
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Catchment News
Local Catchment Assessments – the next step in characterising our catchments
Marie Archbold describes how the EPA Catchments Unit has led the development of guidance on how assessment of the significant […]
Read More EPA National Water Event 2019 presentations
The EPA’s National Water Event for 2019 took place on May 29 and 30 in The Galway Bay Hotel. Over […]
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Call for volunteers to explore Irish coastal biodiversity
The National Biodiversity Data Centre has launched a new marine citizen science project called ‘Explore Your Shore! The project focuses […]
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Your help is needed to save our White-clawed Crayfish from disease and invasive species
The Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht’s National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) – along with The Marine Institute [...]
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Public Consultation on the Draft Climate Change Sectoral Adaptation Plan for Water Quality and Water Services Infrastructure
Mr. Eoghan Murphy T.D. Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government, invites submissions, observations and comments on the Draft Climate [...]
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Pint of Science Ireland – taking science from labs to local pubs and cafes
Beatriz Gil Pulido tells us about this year’s Pint of Science festival, which is taking place in Dublin, Cork, Galway, [...]
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Celebrate your community’s water and its heritage – Water Heritage Day, August 25th
Celebrate water during National Heritage Week, August 17 – 25. Each year National Heritage Week takes place over the last [...]
Read MoreWho 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 waterbodies.
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 and Communities Office.
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 4,829 water bodies, looking at trends and changes, determining which waterbodies are at risk and what could be causing this, and drafting environmental objectives and measures for each.
Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government
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 that will be implemented after public consultation and sign off by the Minister.