The latest EPA water quality report has shown a net improvement to Irish water quality since the last EPA report, the IFA has claimed.

Concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorous have reduced or stayed the same in the vast majority of catchment areas, as 57 water bodies have shown a net improvement within the priority areas of action.

IFA president Tim Cullinan took the opportunity of the report’s release to reiterate farming’s commitment to reduce the incidence of sub-optimal water quality.

“As farmers, we know we need to keep working hard, but this report shows real signs of progress and is something all stakeholders can build upon,” Cullinan stated.

Threshold

The IFA also referenced the report’s finding that 98% of waterways have nitrate concentrations under 50mg/l in Ireland, compared with Germany and Spain’s performance at 72% and 78.5% of waterways under this threshold respectively.

“Farmers are working directly with their advisers in these areas to improve water quality and it’s delivering tangible results.

"The ASSAP programme that assists farmers in their own catchments must be expanded so we can support more farmers to improve water quality,” he said.

The organisation drew attention to the fact that Ireland has a greater testing frequency when compared with other EU countries and also that the monitoring period included in the report encompasses the drought summer of 2018, which may have led to higher-than-usual nitrogen mobilisation rates when rain came.