Roughly half of the country’s coastal waters, rivers and lakes have unacceptable levels of pollution.
A new report from the Environmental Protection Agency shows only 53 percent are of satisfactory quality.
The full report can be accessed HERE
It highlights river waters as a particular concern, with the quality having dropped by 5.5 percent since the last assessment four years ago.
In Donegal, of 184 river water bodies monitored, 21 were deemed to be of high quality, 73 of good quality, 21 of moderate quality, 67 of poor quality and 2 of bad quality. Particular issues were identified in the Foyle and Donagh/Moville catchments.
Meanwhile, Lough Durnesh near Rossknowlagh was one of 14 transitional water bodies across the country deemed to be of poor ecological status. Six others were deemed to be bad.
EPA Water Programme Manager, Mary Gurrie, says the poor water quality is down to a number of factors…………..
When lakes and their catchments were examined, some issues were identified in the Swilly and Erne.
In other findings, phosphorus levels were an issue in some parts of Donegal
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