Pollution brings algal doom for waterways

WE'RE AT A LOW EBB EPA report cites algae caused by pollution in our waterways

- BY OWEN CONLON

DECLINE River Bandon in Co Cork

ALMOST half of Irish rivers and lakes checked over the past five years were so polluted with chemicals and choked with algae they rated below minimally acceptable standards.

A new report by the Environmental Protection Agency has detailed the shocking levels to which our public waterways have descended.

The EPA study carried out between 2019 and 2024 showed just 52% of the 4,000 water bodies checked were satisfactory. This was down from 54% between 2016 and 2021.

Not one river, lake or estuary was sufficiently free of chemical contamination to merit a satisfactory chemical status rating, according to the report.

All contained either PBDEs, a fire-retardant substance used in manufacturing, excessive mercury levels in fish or so-called forever chemicals, PFAS.

Another major cause of pollution was inadequately-treated sewage from urban wastewater systems and industrial runoffs.

Estuaries and coastal lagoons were in the poorest condition of all, with 70% in an unsatisfactory condition, up from 64% in the last assessment.

The worst declines were in some of the country's best-known rivers.