Water Quality, Air & Noise Pollution

Catchment Management

The principal piece of legislation relating to the protection of surface water, groundwater, tidal, and coastal water quality in Ireland is the EU Water Framework Directive. Nationally, work is ongoing on the second cycle of implementing the Directive in Ireland. The River Basin District Management Plan for Ireland (2018-2021) was published by the Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government in April 2018. Under the provisions of the Plan, all public bodies are required to coordinate their policies, functions and operations so as to maintain existing good status water bodies and improve existing unsatisfactory water bodies. Local authorities play a key role in implementing the programmes of measures detailed in the Plan within their functional areas.

Consultation work is also ongoing with the aim of delivering a new National River Basin Management Plan for the third cycle of implementation of the Water Framework Directive. The production of the new management plan will involve significant consultation with the public and other state agencies.

During 2020, Sligo County Council continued to liaise with the Environmental Protection Agency and other state agencies in relation to implementing the current plan and the preparation of the new national plan. Management and operational committees were established, and Sligo County Council actively participated in the process of implementation during 2020.

Nationally, the emphasis is on integrated catchment management and relates primarily to the following specific areas of work, which continued to be prioritized during 2020:

 Licensing and enforcement of trade and domestic effluent discharges to waters under the Local

Government (Water Pollution) Act 1977, as amended.  Assessing planning proposals for domestic, commercial, agricultural and forestry developments in terms of environmental impact, with particular reference to protection of water quality.  Implementation of the National Inspection Plan for domestic wastewater treatment systems as published by the Environmental Protection Agency, and implementation of the recently introduced inspection procedures for domestic wastewater treatment systems in High Status Catchments and Priority Areas for

Action detailed in the National River Basin District Management Plan.  Implementation of the European Union (Good Agricultural Practice For Protection of Waters) Regulations 2017, S.I. No. 605 of 2017, as amended.  Complaint and query response relating to general environmental, water quality and planning related issues.

Drinking Water

The quality of drinking water in Ireland is governed by the EU (Drinking Water) Regulations 2014 and 2017. The legislation defines what parameters are tested, and the monitoring frequency. All public water supplies, regulated Group Water Schemes (GWSs) and Small Private Supplies (SPSs) were monitored in 2020 in accordance with statutory requirements and those set by Irish Water (IW) where relevant. Sligo County Council liaised with Irish Water in relation to drinking water non compliances/incidents and managed their monitoring program and reporting of drinking water results.

Sligo County Council continued to act as the supervisory authority in relation to the provision of drinking water by Group Water Schemes (GWSs) and Small Private Supplies (SPSs) and managed the monitoring of GWSs and SPSs in 2020 to ensure they met the requirements of the Drinking Water Regulations. Sligo County Council liaised with the HSE in relation to drinking water non compliances.

Due to resource constraints the level of work carried out on unregulated supplies was limited in 2020.

Bathing Water

Sligo County Council fulfilled our statutory obligations in relation to the Bathing Water Regulations as outlined below:

 Identification of Bathing Waters  Preparation and management of the annual monitoring programme  Management, assessment and reporting of Bathing Water results  Bathing Water incident management  Bathing water returns to EPA.

In 2020, Sligo County Council formally identified five beaches under the 2008 Bathing Water Regulations; these were:

 Rosses Point  Enniscrone  Mullaghmore  Streedagh  Dunmoran.

Monitoring of the 5 bathing water beaches was undertaken in 2020 as well as monitoring at Strandhill beach. Results of the monitoring were displayed locally at each of the bathing water beaches and on the council’s website throughout the bathing season. Applications were made to An Taisce for the Blue Flag and Green Coast Awards.

Pete, our Water Safety Officer and 2 of our Lifeguards welcome the Blue Flag for Rosses Point for 2020

Blue Flag / Green Coast Awards

The Sligo coastline, along the Wild Atlantic Way, is the home of spectacular unspoilt beaches, that are overlooked by majestic mountain ranges.

In 2020 Sligo had 3 beaches (Streedagh, Dunmoran and Rosses Point) that were awarded with a Green Coast/Green Flag by An Taisce and had 1 beach (Rosses Point) awarded the Blue Flag Status. Only 5 beaches in the country received dual award status in 2020 and Sligo’s Rosses Point Beach was one of these beaches awarded both a Green Flag and Blue Flag.

Rosses Point fulfilled all Blue Flag criteria relating to water quality, facilities for visitors, beach management, environmental education and the provision of information, while also fulfilling the Green Coast Award requirement of community involvement in the management of the site.

2020 was one of the busiest at our beaches with large numbers attending at all of the beaches over the summer months, this is mainly due to Covid-19 restrictions and ‘staycations’ coupled with good weather.

Dunmoran Beach awarded Green Coast/Green Flag by An Taisce Streedagh Beach awarded Green Coast/Green Flagby An Taisce Rosses Point Beach awarded Green Coast/Green Flag and Blue Flag by An Taisce

Water Safety

During the bathing season of 2020 Sligo County Council provided lifeguard cover at Enniscrone, Dunmoran, Streedagh and Rosses Point beaches, as well as Beach Warden cover at Strandhill. No lifeguard cover was provided at Mullaghmore due to ongoing Health and Safety concerns. Public rescue equipment was also provided in other locations close to water. Some of this is taken in during the winter, but much of it is available all year round. It is inspected periodically and repaired/replaced as necessary if found to be in disrepair or has been interfered with, or has been removed. Additional warning signage was also erected in several locations due to the increased number of people using these amenities. We also engaged with Water Safety Ireland and the local Water Safety Area Committee, as well as several other interested parties, on issues related to water safety.

Rivers and Lakes

Sligo County Council managed and supervised the Lake Monitoring programme and undertook the river monitoring in accordance with the EPA National Monitoring Programme.

Lough Bo Lough Gara Lough Gill

Noise Control

The Environment Section provide advice and information on residential and commercial noise under the Environmental Protection Agency Act, 1992.

Air Quality

The Environment Section continues to enforce 1 No. Air Pollution Licence. The installation of the EPA’s Air Quality monitor on the inner relief road was completed in 2020 and this was supplemented by the purchase of a number of smaller Air Quality monitors. These have been placed outside Sligo County Council’s Offices and in the Cranmore area, and will continue to gather data on Air Quality in those areas. This data will be used to inform public information campaigns on the importance of good air quality. We also intend to work with 3rd level institutes in the future in order to make the best use of the available data.

Ban on Smoky Fuels

In 2012, the Department introduced new regulations extending the restricted area with regard to the marketing, sale and distribution of Smoky Fuels (Bituminous Coal). They also made the use of this fuel type, within the restricted area, an offence. Sligo County Council is responsible for the enforcement of these Regulations. The enforcement of these regulations continues to be challenging and requires a change in habits for inhabitants of Sligo Town and Environs regarding the type of fuel they use to heat their homes. However, it should ensure that the increase in air quality, observed since the original Regulations were introduced in 2003, are maintained and improved upon.