TEAGASC has now a ‘six-pillar campaign’ in place to deliver major improvements in the quality of Irish water over the coming years.

While 54% of surface water in Ireland had a good ecological status from 2016 to 2021, according to the Environmental Protection Agency [EPA], overall water quality has not improved in recent years.

The farm advisory also point out that it’s not just farming practices that lead to poor water quality – there is also the major issue of the discharge of poorly treated sewage from urban wastewater treatment plants.

Domestic sewage treatment systems, storm water overflows, run-offs from forestry operations as well as hydromorphology [relating to the flow and course of water in a river channel], are also factors leading to poorer water quality.

In the autumn edition of the Teagasc TResearch magazine, Director of Research with the advisory body, Pat Dillon, and Head of Environment Knowledge Transfer, Pat Murphy, outline the six pillars on which the water quality improvement campaign will be based. These are:

■ Engagement with farmers, farming organisations, government depts., meat and milk processors, environmental regulators, the media and local communities.

■ Building awareness by the acquisition and utilisation of water quality data.

■ The upskilling of farmers, advisors and industry professionals.

■ The putting in place of an impactful knowledge transfer programme.

■ Supporting research programmes.

■ The putting place of a strong communications plan.

The Teagasc specialist also highlight that maintaining Ireland’s nitrates derogation ‘will require improvements in water quality’ – the current Nitrate Action Programme covers the period up to the end of 2025.

“Teagasc has developed the Better Farming for Water campaign, the objective of which is to reduce nutrient, sediment, pesticides and pathogen loss to all water bodies.

“The campaign has identified ‘8-Actions for Change’ that farmers can make on-farm to improve water quality.

“These actions cover three critical management areas – nutrient, farmyard and land management – and apply to all farmers, dairy, drystock and tillage.

“The campaign will be delivered at farm catchment and regional scale and will be part of a wider whole-government approach to improve water quality,” Pat Dillon and Pat Murphy state.

■ ‘Easing the pressure, The Better Farming for Water Campaign’ can be read in full in the Autumn 2024 edition of the Teagasc TResearch magazine.

Pictured: Water: A vital resource.