Questions raised over monitoring of water quality in Tipperary rivers
Concerns have been raised about whether water quality in Tipperary’s rivers and lakes is being adequately monitored.
Independent councillor Seamie Morris raised the issue at a recent meeting of the Nenagh Municipal District following a presentation from members of the Local Authority Waters Programme (LAWPRO).
Speaking at the meeting, Cllr Morris questioned whether the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have enough powers to monitor and protect water quality across Tipperary.
“I saw a report recently where in 2010, 500 of our rivers were deemed in a good state, but we’re down on that now,” he said.
“How can we stop people and companies from polluting our rivers? There are discharge pipes all along the Nenagh River, and this river, as we know, is in a very poor state.
“Really, we have to come up with a new way of monitoring these discharge pipes, both licensed and unlicensed, because who’s to say that in the darkness of night someone couldn’t just switch them on?” he asked.
Cllr Morris questioned if Tipperary County Council should assume responsibility for the monitoring of water quality, claiming Uisce Éireann had a “poor” record of protecting water quality.
“Is the local authority doing enough? Do the EPA have enough power? For instance, the EPA can only fine people for the damage they have done.
“I’m wondering do the EPA need more powers, or do the local authorities need to monitor these pipes more regularly, because certainly I know of a lot of discharge pipes into the Nenagh River that are not licensed, nobody seems to be monitoring them.
“Our rivers are getting worse and worse, and we can scratch our heads and blame this, that and the other thing, but we don’t seem to be able to do anything,” Cllr Morris said.
In response, a representative from LAWPRO said that while water quality had declined, any measures that have been put in place will take time to work.
“The measures that are put in place now, they’ve been approved last year, they’re only starting to be put in place now, so all of the things that are needed to improve water quality are slow,” the meeting was told.
“Uisce Éireann improving wastewater treatment plants and all of those nature based solutions that will be in place, they take time,” councillors were told.