| Current status | 2021 |  |
| Short term status | 2015 - 2021 | |
| Long term status | 2010 - 2021 | |
Click on the charts below in order to see the full resolution versions.
*previously referred to as ‘habitats’ ' class='img-rounded'>Introduced in 2000, the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD) aims to protect all water resources, prevent further deterioration of all waters and to restore degraded surface and ground waters to good status by 2015 (or at the latest 2027). It was given legal effect in Ireland by the European Communities (Water Policy) Regulations 2003 (S.I. No. 722 of 2003). The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage has delegated the task of coordination and oversight of the WFD implementation in Ireland to the Environmental Protection Agency.
The WFD requires surface waters, such as rivers and lakes, to be classified into high, good, moderate, poor, or bad ecological status based on a standard, European-wide unified approach integrating a suite of biological, chemical, and morphological conditions. Assessment of quality is based on the extent of deviation from reference conditions i.e., biological, chemical, and morphological conditions associated with no or very low human pressure.
Since the last reporting period, there was very little change percentage of rivers with high or good quality ecological status (52.9%, 2013-2018 and 54.4% 2016-2021) with 49.5% of river sites now being of moderate to bad quality. There has been a 6 percentage point drop in the percentage of lakes with high or good ecological status between the last reporting period (50.2%, 2015-2018 and 43.8%, 2016-2021).
More information on water quality in Ireland’s lakes and rivers can be found here:
https://www.epa.ie/environment-and-you/freshwater-and-marine
More information on the Water Framework Directive and the EPA’s Monitoring and Assessment Programme can be found here:
The Water Framework Directive Status data can be downloaded from here:
http://gis.epa.ie/GetData/Download
More information on European Communities (Water Policy) Regulations 2003
http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2003/si/722/made/en/print
B.7.ii. Number of freshwater waterbodies* reported as 'Good Environment Status' under Water Framework Directive monitoring *previously referred to as ‘habitats’
The EU Water Framework Directive was introduced in 2000, it brings a unified approach to safeguarding all water bodies and water-dependent ecosystems. The number of river and lake habitats attaining high or good environment status is an indicator of Ireland’s success in protecting its freshwater resources.