The 3rd National Implementation Report on the Phosphorous Regulations has recently been published by the EPA, based on information and water quality data submitted by local authorities, including Donegal County Council, and on water quality data collected by the EPA themselves in the 2001-2003 period.
The Phosphorus regulations require that water quality be maintained or improved by reference to baseline biological quality rating (rivers) or trophic status (lakes) assigned by the EPA in 1995-97 review period. The biological quality rating provides a measure of whether a river is Unpolluted, Slightly Polluted, Moderately Polluted or Seriously Polluted. For lakes, the equivalent categories are Oligotrophic, Mesotrophic or Eutrophic.
The report concludes:
§ 94.4% of water in Donegal is not seriously polluted, with 78.8% of stations satisfactory from a biological point of view, compared to 77.9% in the baseline study and 61.4% nationally.
§ Donegal is second only to Kerry in the number of Unpolluted stations in the highest Q5 category in the country.
§ The number of seriously polluted river stations, (5.6%), has shown a modest increase from 11 in 1995-1997 to 13 in this period.
§ The majority of Donegal’s lakes fall into the Oligotrophic, (unpolluted), category.
It should be noted that considerable improvement has been effected in a number of seriously polluted stations in the 3 year period since the EPA’s biological monitoring was carried out, since many were afforded this categorisation by the EPA due to pollution from point sources, such as sheep dips and industrial discharges, which have since been eliminated.
The Council’s Capital Programme has led to the elimination of two seriously polluted stations on the River Donagh, through the installation of the new wastewater treatment plant in Carndonagh. This has been confirmed by the EPA’s monitoring work and they have complimented the Council on this achievement. A seriously polluted station on the River Bredagh will be similarly eliminated, by the new wastewater treatment plant planned for Moville. Further reductions in the number of these stations can be expected as new & upgraded treatment facilities come on stream through the Capital Programme, e.g. – Ardara, Killygordon, Milford. It would therefore be expected that the next EPA report will show a drop in seriously polluted stations to baseline level or below.
Two of the three lakes mentioned as being non-compliant (Colmcille – Milford and Kindrum) have been shown to fully comply with the Phosphorus Regulations according to most recent water quality data for 2005 submitted by Donegal Co. Council to the EPA. The 3rd lake, New Lake, has shown significant reductions in Phosphorous levels since the data in the current report was compiled. This will be reflected in the next release of this report in 3 year’s time.
Overall, Donegal County Council’s on-going Capital Programme investment in Sanitary Services, and work on farm surveys, industrial discharge and routine river & lake monitoring are expected to impact positively on the County’s compliance with these regulations in the next reporting period.
End
For further information contact:
Anne Marie Conlon
Communications Officer
Donegal County Council
Tel: 074 91 72574
Email: amconlon@donegalcoco.ie