The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has called on local authorities to carry out more farm inspections in a bid to improve water quality across the country.
The agency’s annual report focussed on local authority environmental enforcement said that overall water quality is in decline and agriculture continues to have a significant impact.
The number of water complaints received by local authorities increased by 14% to 3,600 in 2021.
Farm inspections
According to the EPA, over 1,000 water bodies are impacted negatively by agriculture.
Despite this, farm inspections carried out by councils remained low and were 43% below pre-Covid-19 pandemic levels, according to the report.
Last year, 2,520 inspections were carried out across the country, which is down from 2,730 in 2020 and 4,450 in 2019.
The report shows that surface waters and groundwaters continue to be under pressure from nitrogen and phosphorus from agriculture.
The agency noted that water monitoring programmes were “generally completed” by local authorities but added that information was not being used effectively to focus local enforcement efforts.
“There is a need to increase the level of agricultural inspection and enforcement activity, improve consistency of approach and better target resources,” it said.
Local authorities in counties Cork, Kilkenny and Meath were praised for an “excellent” level of farm inspections.
However, councils in Clare, Cork City, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown, Mayo, Offaly, South Dublin and Sligo were given a “limited rating” due to low inspection levels and subsequent follow-up and enforcement actions.
EPA report
Of the 81,000 complaints received by EPA last year, 90% related to waste or litter.
The report shows that local authorities carried out 23,510 inspections in relation to illegal dumping in 2021, which is down from 24,850 inspections in the previous year.
The EPA noted that increased enforcement is needed on waste segregation and the management of construction and demolition waste.
Local authorities were also encouraged to make better use of air monitoring data to identify pollution hotspots and prioritise areas for action under the Solid Fuel Regulations.
Commenting on the findings of the report, Dr. Tom Ryan, director of the EPA’s Office of Environmental Enforcement, said:
“Local authorities have a fundamental role to play in protecting the environment within their counties, and their performance in that role needs to improve.
“The local environmental challenges are great. The water quality in our rivers, lakes, estuaries and coastal waters is in decline and there are concerning localised issues that are impacting negatively on the air we breathe.
“The segregation of waste streams, which is so critical to supporting materials reuse in the development of a circular economy, is not as good as it needs to be.
“Local authorities need to have a more strategic approach to addressing these issues within their counties so as to protect people’s right to the enjoyment of a healthy environment.
“While local authorities are engaged in a great deal of enforcement activity, they need to have a better focus on priority environmental issues and increase or escalate enforcement action where required,” Dr. Ryan said.