Ireland’s water quality is of a high standard in Ireland today. A recent EPA Water Quality in Ireland report provides a useful overview, stating that over 70% of rivers and streams are classified as unpolluted. Despite the perception that farming is a major source of water pollution, this EPA report shows that 85% of fish kills were from non-agricultural related sources. However, in contrast to this, 64% of the heavy industry populated estuary and coastal waters are classified as polluted.
The high water quality of rivers and streams in rural Ireland is not surprising. Farmers continue to use fertilisers prudently on their farms, with usage of chemical nitrogen declining by 22% in recent years and the usage of chemical phosphorous declining by 56% over the last 30 years. Indeed the current chemical fertiliser prices, nitrates regulation storage and spreading restriction and the cross-compliance requirements will all serve to ensure the agriculture sector will continue to contribute to improved rivers and streams in Ireland.
The nitrates regulations are part of a master EU water management plan called the Water Framework Directive (WFD). The onerous nitrates regulations represent the farming communities contribution to the achievement of the object of the WFD to achieve ‘good status’ water quality by 2015. Teagasc have a major role in defining what is meant by ‘good status’ water quality associated with farming. It would be both unreasonable and illogical to derive a definition which assumes a no farming situation.
The WFD requires Ireland to have river basin plans in place by 2009 to set out how Ireland will achieve the objectives of the Directive. Ireland is divided into seven river basin districts (RBD) and each of these RBDs have prepared and submitted draft management plans. Similar to a new road or building a period of public consultation took place in 2008, giving an opportunity to all interested parties to send a submission to their relevant RBD. The website www.wfdireland.ie is a very useful introductory website and provides links to each RBD in the country.
Farmers will spend over €4billion implementing the requirements of the nitrates regulations and this represents the sectors contribution to the implementation of the WFD. The nitrates regulations set out strict spreading restrictions, buffer zones, storage requirements and calendar farming. While the logic of these restrictions will continue to be challenged, today the requirement of the nitrates directive represents the farming communities contribution to the various river basin district management plans. A similar response from the other sectors including those with direct discharge licences would contribute significantly to improving water quality, particularly in the estuarine areas where 63% of water as classified as polluted.
IFA has made a number of submissions to the RBDs and has re-emphasised that the requirements of the River Basin management plans must not exceed the nitrates regulations.
River Basin District IFA Submission
Please click here to read the overview of the submissions.
Comment
River Basin Plans must not Exceed Nitrates Requirements, by Pat Farrell, IFA National Environment Chairman - read more.