The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage is set to bring legislation on water abstraction before the Oireachtas in the coming weeks.
Under the Water Environment (Abstractions and Associated Impoundments) Bill 2022, the threshold for mandatory licensing has been set at 2,000m3 or two million litres/day.
It means that, when the bill is signed into law, farmers, industry and commercial premises will have to seek a permission for abstractions over that level.
Where abstractions under that threshold are causing a waterbody to fail to meet its objectives under the Water Framework Directive, they may also be licensed, a spokesperson for the department of housing told Agriland.
The purpose of the new bill, which was approved by Cabinet at the end of July, is to regulate significant water abstractions in order to protect water resources and ensure compliance with the Water Framework Directive.
Minister Darragh O’Brien intends to introduce the bill to the Oireachtas in the coming weeks and the timeline for its enactment will depend on its progress through the Dáil and Seanad.
Ireland is currently the subject of infringement action from the European Union over alleged failure to properly transpose the Water Framework Directive into national law.
One of the grounds for this action relates to the control of significant water abstractions.
The department of housing said that it is working with the EU to resolve the outstanding issues.
At present, there is no licensing regime in place for water abstraction in Ireland.
However, anyone, including farmers, who takes 25m3 or 25,000L of water/day from a river, lake, stream, spring, groundwater well, borehole or estuary must register with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Even if you only abstract 25m3 of water or more on one day in a dry summer, you still need to register this abstraction.
This requirement was introduced in 2018 following engagement with various sectors, including agriculture.