A NEW report from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has shown that the quality of bathing water across Donegal is excellent but with one area deemed to be of poor quality.
According to the Bathing Quality in Ireland report for 2021 Lady’s Bay in Buncrana was of poor quality due to pollution.
“The main sources of pollution affecting the bathing water are Buncrana waste water treatment plant, combined stormwater overflows, and surface run-off, which are made worse by heavy rainfall,” the report stated.
“Irish Water is due to begin upgrade works at Westbrook pumping station and the sewer network during the summer of 2022 and a new larger capacity storm tank is also due to be constructed at Buncrana waste water treatment plant.”
Lisfannon, Rathmullan and Portarthur, Derrybeg were all deemed good quality while Bundoran, Rossnowlagh, Murvagh, Fintra, Naran, Dooey, Carrickfinn, Magheroarty, Drumnatinny, Killahoey, Downings, Ballyhiernan, Fanad, Portsalon, Culdaff, Stroove, Marble Hill, and Portnablagh were all deemed ‘excellent’.
The report shines a light on the quality of Ireland’s rivers, lakes, estuaries, coastal and groundwaters.
According to the EPA water quality in Ireland is not as good as it should be.
Only just over half of rivers, lakes, estuaries and coastal waters are in satisfactory condition.
The overall ecological health of these surface waters has declined across all water body types since the last assessment.
This means these water bodies are less able to support healthy ecosystems for fish, insects and plants.
While the decline in water quality of our rivers and lakes is relatively small (one and three percent of waterbodies respectively), the number of estuaries and coastal water bodies in satisfactory condition has decreased by almost 16 percent and 10 percent respectively.
These declines are mostly along the southeast and southern coasts where nitrogen emissions from agricultural activities are having a significant negative impact on water quality.
Excess nitrogen causes algal blooms in our estuaries which can damage the ecosystem, and excess nitrogen in drinking water can pose a risk to human health.
Commenting on the report, Dr Eimear Cotter, Director of the EPA’s Office of Evidence and Assessment, said: “The scale of the declines in our estuaries and coastal waters is alarming. In recent years the EPA highlighted that nutrient levels in our rivers and groundwaters are too high and that trends were going in the wrong direction. We are now seeing the impact of these emissions on our estuaries and coastal waters.
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