Latest news with #WaterFrameworkDirective
Irish Independent
4 days ago
- General
- Irish Independent
EPA asked to intervene in ‘crisis' at Blackrock beach
Louth County Council have written to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requesting an 'urgent update' following a meeting with elected members last week, where calls for action emerged on issues such as the build-up of seaweed, the designation of bathing areas and water quality. Public concern over water quality saw the popular Blackrock Raft Race not go ahead in its usual format last weekend. Although a series of onshore activities did run, the traditional raft race was not held on the open water. The local authority have advised sea swimmers to use 'officially designated bathing water sites in the area,' confirming that the beach at Blackrock is currently not a designated site. Cllr. Shane McGuinness, who represents the Blackrock and Haggardstown area on Louth County Council called for 'serious action' to be taken to resolve ongoing public concerns. He described the situation as a 'crisis' which could only be resolved by the provision of a new waste water treatment plant for the Dundalk South area. In a statement, Louth County Council said its officials had met with elected members of Dundalk Municipal District on Thursday last 'to discuss recent environmental concerns raised about Blackrock Beach.' 'Council officials shared updates from consultations with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Marine Institute. Both agencies judged that the recent seaweed deposits at Blackrock and the Priest's Beach are naturally occurring and part of a seasonal pattern of macro algae accumulation.' Local councillors have been calling for the water quality at Blackrock to be tested, but the council stated that under the Bathing Water Quality Regulations 2008 and the 2024 Amendment, Blackrock Beach is not currently a designated bathing water. As such, water quality testing is not carried out by Louth County Council at this location. 'For those wishing to swim, Louth County Council recommends using one of the officially designated bathing water sites in the area, where water quality is regularly monitored to ensure public safety and lifeguards are in attendance,' the statement continued. The local authority stated that water quality data for nearby areas such as Inner Dundalk Bay and Castletown Estuary is available to the public via the EPA's website. "Inner Dundalk Bay is classified as a transitional waterbody with a 'Moderate' status under the Water Framework Directive.' The meeting also heard that a new designated bathing water site can be nominated by the public, in accordance with EPA guidelines and under the Bathing Waters Regulations. Observations are invited from the public, and more information can be found in the Environment section of the Louth County Council website. Submissions will be accepted up until 26th September. Concerns about sewage overflows and water pollution were also raised during the meeting, where the council confirmed the EPA is responsible for monitoring water quality and regulating emissions from wastewater treatment plants. 'It also has the authority to enforce environmental regulations and ensure that wastewater discharges do not cause significant harm to the environment.' Louth County Council officials agreed to write to the EPA to request an urgent update on the water quality, particularly in the area around Blackrock. The possibility of removing seaweed from the beach was discussed but ultimately ruled out. Dundalk Bay is a Special Protection Area (SPA) and a Special Area of Conservation (SAC). These designations are part of the European Union's Natura 2000 network, aimed at protecting the most seriously threatened habitats and species across Europe. Cllr Seán Kelly, Cathaoirleach of Louth County Council, added: 'Blackrock Beach is one of the most popular and well-loved spots in County Louth, especially during the summer. That's why it was so important for councillors and officials to come together and listen to the concerns being raised. We want to reassure the public that their voices matter and by working together, we can help protect and improve this special place for everyone to enjoy.' Cllr Robert Nash, Cathaoirleach of Dundalk Municipal District, said: 'Given the strong public concern around Blackrock Beach in recent weeks, I felt it was essential that we brought everyone to the table. I requested a meeting with senior council officials and Dundalk MD councillors, and I'm glad that it took place. It was a constructive discussion where a range of views were shared, and we'll continue to keep the public informed as we move forward.' David Conway, Chief Executive of Louth County Council, said: 'We understand the concerns of residents and visitors regarding the recent changes at Blackrock Beach. While the seaweed and smell may be unsightly and unpleasant, it is a natural occurrence and part of the coastal ecosystem. We are committed to working with the EPA and other agencies to ensure the safety and environmental health of our coastline, and we would strongly encourage members of the public to engage in the process to nominate appropriate bathing water areas.' He added that the council will continue to monitor the situation at Blackrock Beach and communicate with the EPA and other relevant authorities to address any issues that arise.
Powys County Times
13-05-2025
- General
- Powys County Times
Shropshire: Controversial River Onny pipeline plan scrapped
A controversial pipeline scheme near the Powys border has been scrapped. Severn Trent Water wanted to transfer fully treated wastewater from its plant in Bishop's Castle and discharge it into the River Onny. Currently, the water enters the Snakescroft Brook, which runs into the River Kemp and the River Clun. Severn Trent is required to upgrade the treatment works in Bishop's Castle to improve the quality of the brook, which is currently failing to achieve good status under the Water Framework Directive. The Clun is a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) due to its endangered freshwater pearl mussels, meaning that any development plans in the area, including housing projects, are subject to strict environmental regulations to minimise any adverse impact. The Onny does not have the same status. However, local anglers and conservationists say it is home to wildlife including otters and kingfishers, and is a vital breeding ground for brown trout, grayling and Atlantic salmon. A petition to stop the scheme gathered more than 9,000 signatures, and more than 200 people packed the Community College in Bishop's Castle in March to tell Severn Trent of their concerns. However, Severn Trent has confirmed the scheme will now not go ahead after initial modelling work showed it would not deliver the environmental benefits originally thought. The firm says it will look to develop an alternative proposal. John Wood, from the Onny Preservation Group, said: 'We are extremely grateful that Severn Trent and the other members of the Strategic Clun Liaison Group (the Environment Agency, Natural England and Shropshire Council) have listened to the concerns of the residents of South Shropshire, and that Severn Trent has dropped its plan for the pipe. The Onny is a much-loved stream, home to a wide variety of wildlife, as well as being an important breeding ground for Atlantic salmon. This decision will help ensure that the Onny can have a bright future and hopefully flourish for many years to come.' Sharing the news on Facebook, Councillor Ruth Houghton (Lib Dem, Bishop's Castle) said she was very pleased that the plan won't go ahead, while Councillor Josh Dickin (Lib Dems, Craven Arms) added that he never supported it. This is very welcome news and I'm glad Severn Trent have seen sense and stopped before they got to far,' said Cllr Dickin. All credit must go to the Save The Onny Preservation group. They have managed to stand up and be noticed, and without them, this correct decision probably wouldn't have been made. "Yes, we need houses built in our lovely part of the world, that are affordable, for local people, which will help my generation to stay in the area. But, now all stakeholders need to sit down and reset and meet to find a new way forward.' OTHER NEWS: A Severn Trent spokesperson said: 'We'd like to thank the Bishop's Castle community and the Onny Preservation Group for their engagement from the outset and input throughout this process. "We have always said that if the evidence didn't support the desired outcomes, and it wasn't the right thing to do, then it wouldn't proceed. "We'd now like to reassure people that the proposed pipeline will not be built.
Irish Examiner
07-05-2025
- Science
- Irish Examiner
WaterMARKE project report identifies drivers and barriers for farmers to protect water quality
Know-how and farmer norms are among the most important drivers of behaviour change in addressing Ireland's water quality challenges, according to the latest WaterMARKE project report. The WaterMARKE project was funded by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Agriculture (DAFM) and involved economic, psychology, and scientific researchers from Teagasc and the University of Galway. Researchers in the project have investigated how the use of research and knowledge exchange can achieve greater uptake of farm-level water quality mitigation measures to secure an improvement in water quality that the Water Framework Directive requires. Agricultural activities can impact water quality when nutrients, sediments, and pesticides enter waterways. Nutrients like nitrogen can leach through light soils into groundwater, while phosphorus and sediment can be lost through overland flow on heavy soils. For mitigation, mechanisms of nutrient and sediment loss into water are complex and site-specific, making them difficult to prevent. Noel Meehan, Head of Teagasc Water Quality Knowledge Transfer Department, said: 'WaterMARKE identified behavioural drivers and barriers for farmers in adopting water quality protection actions… The research shows that advisors also need training and upskilling in the provision of water quality advice, something that the Better Farming for Water Campaign is working to achieve with both Teagasc and private advisors.' Mr Meehan added that the project's findings can be utilised to develop policies and supports for both farmers and advisors. These developments can keep behavioural drivers in mind to ensure the use of appropriate farming practices and mitigation actions that can lead to work towards positive water quality outcomes. Overall, the WaterMARKE project concluded with nine key findings. Firstly, there is a need for more local data and understanding. Improving local environmental issues requires localised activity data and an understanding of nutrient loss pathways. The research highlighted the growth in collaborations across all the 'actors' who can influence water quality, citing LAWPRO, local farmers and the Agricultural Sustainability Support and Advisory Programme (ASSAP) tackling bathing water quality issues at Lough Ennell, Co Westmeath. WaterMARKE also found that although farmers are generally motivated to improve water quality, they need support in terms of knowledge and resources. Key drivers of behaviour change include the role of advisors in raising awareness and the importance of localised support. Farmers and advisors face knowledge, technical challenges, and administrative burdens that carry compliance and psychological costs. Farmers with strong behavioural drivers to adopt specific measures are those who are aware of the measures that need to be taken, believe they can undertake it, and live in areas where others have implemented the measure. Other factors that lead to greater adoption include large farm size, previous participation in agri-environmental schemes, having a point source pollution issue, engagement with advisors, and agricultural education. Farmers are more accepting of measures that incur less cost and have a more immediate, visible effect, such as drainage ditch remediation. The cost of implementing measures is often a negative driver. Measures with high implementation or transaction costs need to be differentially incentivised. Spatial modelling highlights variation in place and farm-specific implementation costs, which must be considered when assessing appropriate measures for individual farms. Farms with high opportunity costs for loss of land/productivity may be less likely to engage with mitigation measures. Read More National push to protect rivers and secure nitrates derogation
Agriland
29-04-2025
- Business
- Agriland
Co-op to pay €15,000 in legal costs following river ‘pollution' incident
Tirlán has been instructed to pay €15,177 in legal costs and expenses after entering a 'plea of guilty' in relation to a water pollution incident in Co. Monaghan. The Kilkenny headquartered co-op has also been ordered to pay €5,000 to a local charity. Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) today (Tuesday, April 29) welcomed a court ruling on the water pollution incident – which took place on November 24, 2023 – and which impacted on the Knappagh River system, in Co. Monaghan which flows into the River Erne. The case was heard at Monaghan District Court at March 26, 2025, and concluded on April 23, 2025. The court heard from IFI that laboratory analysis of test samples showed that 'grossly polluting' material had been discharged into a wild brown trout spawning river. According to IFI 'large volumes of white-coloured effluent from Tirlán's dairy processing facility in Lough Egish Business Park, Co Monaghan' were detected entering a tributary of the Knappagh River system. Samples taken by IFI officers following the incident indicated high levels of organic material in the effluent that was 'toxic to fish, insects, and other aquatic life'. The court was told that since the pollution incident occurred Tirlán has put in place a range of 'preventative measures, including regular daily monitoring and visual checks of the facility and adjacent watercourse, to guard against a future reoccurrence'. The Probation Act was applied in the case on the basis that Tirlán agreed to make a voluntary contribution of €5,000 to a local charity. In a statement issued to Agriland Tirlán said 'it is highly conscious of protecting the environs in which it operates and has protocols in place across all our facilities'. 'Tirlán was disappointed that on this occasion an accidental discharge owing to a technical pump failure occurred at the Lough Egish facility. 'As acknowledged by the District Court and Inland Fisheries, Tirlán acted swiftly to deal with the matter, took all corrective actions and put in place a range of preventative measures, including regular daily monitoring, physical visual checks of the facility and adjacent watercourse to guard against incidents of this nature,' the co-op added. Pollution According to Milton Matthews, IFI's north western river basin district director, the 'serious pollution event' had a significant impact on the brown trout spawning and nursery habitat within the Knappagh River catchment. 'This catchment is classified under the Water Framework Directive as being at risk. 'Tirlán has agreed to make a charitable contribution of €5,000 to the Bawn Community Group CLG to support the continued development and promotion of angling in the Bawn/Latton areas in Co Monaghan. 'This is a welcome support to this long-established local voluntary group,' Matthews said. IFI has urged the public to report issues of concern relating to freshwater fish and their habitats to its confidential 24/7 number 0818 34 74 24.
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Fishermen win legal battle over river pollution
A group of fishermen have won a landmark legal battle against the government, which lost its appeal against a ruling that it failed to protect and restore a river ecosystem. Pickering Fishery Association and environmental organisation Fish Legal took the government to the High Court over the health of the Costa Beck near Pickering. The High Court ruled in 2023 that the government's management plan for once-thriving fishing spot was insufficient, with the groups arguing fish populations had declined dramatically in recent decades because of pollution. The government challenged the decision, but the appeal was dismissed in a judgment handed down on Wednesday. Andrew Kelton, solicitor for Fish Legal, said Wednesday's decision should be "a turning point for improving river health nationwide". He added: "This comprehensive win for us in the Court of Appeal sets out a blueprint for restoring damaged rivers across the whole country." A Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs spokesperson said the government was "determined to clean up our polluted rivers, lakes and seas" and that it was "considering this judgment". They added: "We recognise there are problems with the current system, which is why we have launched an Independent Water Commission, which is looking at widespread water sector reform including the effectiveness of the Water Framework Directive and River Basin Management Plans. "We will continue to support the Environment Agency and its partners as they continue their work to improve the water environment in North Yorkshire and across England." But Penelope Gane, head of practice at Fish Legal, said: "[The government] could have dropped this appeal, but instead they have dragged out the legal process, wasting time and taxpayer money trying to defend continued inaction to restore not only the Costa Beck, but rivers nationwide." Only 16% of waterbodies and 14% of rivers in England currently had "good ecological status", she added. Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North. Fishermen win landmark river legal case Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs
