Over 30% rivers in the Shannonside region have a moderate or poor ecological status
The latest report from the EPA has described the declining water quality in Rivers, lakes, and coastal waters as 'alarming'.
The report from the Environmental Protection Agency involved analysing the different types of plants and animals around, and in, the rivers as well as the nutrient and chemical content of the water. The study of 153 rivers in Longford, Leitrim, and Roscommon showed that 31% across the 3 counties had a, on average, moderate or poor ecological status. Roscommon has, on average, the lowest rating in the region with 35% of rivers ranked as good, 32% as moderate, and 30% as poor out of 74 areas analysed. In Leitrim, 61% were ranked as good and 26% were ranked as moderate. In Longford 40% were ranked as good, 36% as moderate and 20% as poor.
Dublin has the worst quality nationally with just under 50% of rivers in the region ranked as poor.
According to the EPA almost most half of the country's rivers, lakes, and coastal waters are polluted and action must be taken to prevent it from getting even worse
