Ballybofey meeting to discuss water quality

The Local Authority Waters Programme, LAWPRO, is holding a community information meeting about water quality and water related issues in the Lifford-Stranorlar Municipal District in Ballybofey later this month.

Under the River Basin Management Plan for Ireland LAWPRO carries out work in areas identified as having poor water quality to support targeted water quality improvements.

The community information meeting at the Villa Rose Hotel on Tuesday week, May 20th, is being held to make more people aware of work to improve water quality in the area and to encourage as much engagement as possible.

LAWPRO has been working in the area as part of the 2nd cycle River Basin Management Plan for Ireland, with planning for the next stage of that process now underway.

Experts will be on hand to discuss the Agricultural Sustainability Support and Advisory Programme and other initiatives.

The programme’s Director of Services Anthony Coleman says public participation and support is key to achieving water quality improvements, and has praised those who, whether in a voluntary or paid capacity, are working in their local areas to help make a difference to their natural waters and the biodiversity that live in and around them.

Lisa McDaneil, Community Water Officer for Donegal says the event gives the public an opportunity to hear what is happening in their local waterbodies….

*******************

Statement in full –

Public Meeting Announced on Water Quality in Donegal

The Local Authority Waters Programme (LAWPRO), working on behalf of Ireland’s 31 local authorities to protect and restore good water quality in rivers, lakes, estuaries, ground and coastal water, is holding a community information meeting about water quality and water related issues in the Lifford-Stranorlar Municipal District.

Under the River Basin Management Plan for Ireland LAWPRO carries out work in areas identified as having poor water quality called Priority Areas for Action (PAA) to support targeted water quality improvements with other stakeholders.

The community information meeting on Tuesday 20^th May in Ballybofey is being held to make more people aware of work to improve water quality in the area and to encourage as much engagement as possible with all stakeholders right across the community, including key agencies, special interest groups, voluntary, public and private sectors.

Details of the meeting are as follows:

Register for the meeting here.

Over the past number of years LAWPRO has been working in the area as part of the 2^nd cycle River Basin Management Plan for Ireland. At the meeting LAWPRO experts will take you through the work that has been carried out in the 2^nd cycle and what is being planned for the 3^rd cycle Water Action Plan. There will also be opportunities for the public to ask questions and talk to members of the Agricultural Sustainability Support and Advisory Programme (ASSAP) and the LAWPRO Farming for Water European Innovation Partnership (EIP) project team.

Ahead of the public meeting, Anthony Coleman, Director of Services with LAWPRO said: “As we are coming to the end of 2^nd cycle work in the Lifford-Stranorlar Municipal District area and begin implementation of the new Water Action Plan we would like to take this opportunity to welcome members of the public to come along and find out more about what’s happening in their local waterbodies and river catchments. 

We hope to engage as many people as possible at this meeting in Donegal because public participation and support is key to achieving water quality improvements. We would also like to thank all those whether in a voluntary or paid capacity, working in their local areas to help make a difference to their natural waters and the biodiversity that live in and around them.”

The public meeting will begin at 7pm in Villa Rose Hotel, Ballybofey, Co. Donegal F93 C2CF and refreshments will be available.

To find out more about the work of the Local Authority Waters Programme please visit: www.lawaters.ie