County Laboratory

The Environment Laboratory is currently based at Magheranan, Letterkenny. It employs 14 staff and provides support to the Environment Section and the Sanitary Services Section. The laboratory consists of chemistry and microbiology laboratories and performs analysis as required by legislation.

The principal areas of interest are:

  1. Drinking water quality monitoring
  2. Urban waste water treatment monitoring
  3. River catchment monitoring
  4. Lake water monitoring
  5. Monitoring of industries licensed to discharge under the Water Pollution Acts.
  6. Landfill Monitoring
  7. Bathing Water Quality Monitoring
  8. Farm Surveys
  9. Pollution investigation analysis

Contact Information:
Donegal County Council,
Environmental Laboratory,
Magheranan
Letterkenny
Phone: 074-9122787
Fax: 074-9161304


 

Relevant Environmental Legislation

Drinking Water - Legislation Related to Water Quality

  • S.I. No. 294 of 1989, European Communities (Quality of Surface Water Intended for the Abstraction of Drinking Water) Regulation, 1989.
  • S.I. No. 278 of 2007, European Communities (Drinking Water) (No. 2) Regulations, 2007.

Nitrates & Phosphorus - Legislation Related to Water Quality

  • S.I. No. 213 of 2003, European Communities (Protection of Waters against Pollution from Agricultural Sources) Regulations, 2003.
  • S.I. No. 258 of 1998, Local Government (Water Pollution) Act, 1977 (Water Quality Standards for Phosphorus) Regulations, 1998.
  • S.I. No. 378 of 2006, European Communities (Good Agricultural Practice for Protection of Waters) Regulations, 2006.

Water Pollution - Legislation relating to Discharge Control

  •  S.I. No. 42 of 1999, Local Government (Water Pollution) (Amendment) Regulations, 1999.
  • S.I. No. 41 of 1999, Protection of Groundwater Regulations, 1999.
  • S.I. No. 42 of 1999, Local Government (Water Pollution) (Amendment) Regulations, 1999.
  • S.I. No. 184 of 1996, Local Government (Water Pollution) (Amendment) Regulations, 1996.
  • Act No. 21 of 1990, Local Government (Water Pollution) (Amendment) Act, 1990.
  • Act No. 1 of 1977, Local Government (Water Pollution) Act, 1977.

Urban Waste Water Treatment - Legislation relating to Discharge Control

  • S.I. No. 254 of 2001, Urban Waste Water Treatment Regulations, 2001.
  • S.I. No. 267 of 2001, Waste Management (Use of Sewage Sludge in Agriculture) (Amendment) Regulations, 2001.
  • S.I. No. 148 of 1998, Waste Management (Use of Sewage Sludge in Agriculture) Regulations, 1998.
  • Act 10 of 1996, Waste Management Act, 1996.

Salmonid Waters and Fisheries - Legislation relating to Water Quality

  • S.I. No. 23 of 1997, Fisheries (Amendment) Act, 1997.
  • S.I. No. 293 of 1988, European Communities (Quality of Salmonid Waters) Regulations, 1988.
  • S.I. No. 14 of 1959, Fisheries (Consolidation) Act, 1959.

Water Quality Legislation

  • S.I. No. 722 of 2003, European Communities (Water Policy) Regulations, 2003.
  • The EU Water Framework Directive was transposed into Irish Law by the passing of S.I. No. 722 of 2003 and establishes a new framework for the management and protection of water quality in Ireland by reference to river basin districts.

Dangerous Substances - Legislation relating to Discharge Control

  • S.I. No. 12 of 2001, Water Quality (Dangerous Substances) Regulations, 2001.
  • S.I. No. 43 of 1994, Local Government (Water Pollution) Acts 1977 and 1990 (Control of Carbon Tetrachloride, DDT, and Pentacholorphenol Discharges) Regulations, 1994.
  • S.I. No. 245 of 1994, Local Government (Water Pollution) Act 1977 and 1990 (Control of ECD, TRI, PER, and TCB Discharges) Regulations, 1994.
  • S.I. No. 348 of 1993, Local Government (Water Pollution) Acts 1977 and 1990 (Control of Aldrin Dieldrin, Endrin, Isodrin, HCB, HCBD and CHCl3 Discharges) Regulations, 1994.
  • S.I. No. 31 of 1990, European Communities (Control of Water Pollution by Asbestos) Regulations, 1990.
  • S.I. No. 55 of 1986, Local Government (Water Pollution) Act 1977 (Control of Hexachlorocyclohexane and Mercury Discharges) Regulations, 1986.
  • S.I. No. 294 of 1985, Local Government (Water Pollution) (Control of Cadmium Discharges) Regulations, 1985.

Other Legislation relating to Water Quality

  • Act 37 of 2001, Local Government Act, 2001.
  • Act 30 of 2000, Local Government (Planning and Development) Act, 2000.
  • Act 7 of 1992, Environmental Protection Agency Act, 1992.
  • Act 27 of 2003, Protection of the Environment Act, 2003.