Our Water, Our Resource, Our Responsibility Module 5: Water Protection Unit 2: Control Measures

Our Water, Our Resource, Our Responsibility Objectives of this presentation  To review the human threats to water  To familiarise participants with the range of control measures available to protect water  To increase awareness as to how we might contribute to the control of water pollution

Our Water, Our Resource, Our Responsibility What are the human threats to water? Groundwater Flow Septic Tank Manure Pesticides & Fertilisers Municipal waste water Industrial Site Urban areas Boating Activities Well Landfill Site Petrol Station Vehicles Graphic by Gillian Cullen

Our Water, Our Resource, Our Responsibility Control measures Legislative and Enforcement Measures:  Planning and development control  Licensing of large scale industry by the EPA  Licensing of local authority discharges by the EPA (RECENT)  Licensing of discharges from industry, private housing, commercial activities, etc. by local authorities  Enforcement of environmental legislation  Environmental requirements attached to various grant aid Industry and urban wastewaters

Our Water, Our Resource, Our Responsibility Voluntary Measures:  Employing best practice around business and commercial premises  Drafting and implementing appropriate Environmental Management Systems, ( a basic introduction to EMS)  Minimising the use of dangerous substances Control measures Industry and urban wastewaters

Our Water, Our Resource, Our Responsibility New Systems:  Planning and development control  Site assessments in accordance with EPA guidelines  Building Regulations – SR 6  Planning conditions, including maintenance agreement and certification of installation Existing Systems:  Upgrading of older septic tanks  Regular maintenance/de-sludge tanks and systems  Control of discharges to waters under Water Pollution Act  Duty of care under the Water Services Act Control measures OSWTS (Septic systems)

Our Water, Our Resource, Our Responsibility  Site selection  Planning and development control, EIS requirements  Landfill design criteria  Control of materials going to landfill e.g. hazardous materials, organic wastes  Waste licensing and enforcement by EPA for large sites or local authorities for smaller sites  Investigation of unauthorised sites and enforcement measures under the Waste Management Act 1996  Waste prevention, reuse and recycling Control measures Landfills and unauthorised land filling

Our Water, Our Resource, Our Responsibility  Planning and development control  EIA and IPPC licensing requirements for intensive units  Enforcement of Water Pollution Act and Good Agricultural Practice (Nitrates) Regulations  CAP Reform (major reform since 1990s)  Single farm payments and cross compliance requirements now link funding to good agricultural practices Control measures Agricultural Source Pollution

Our Water, Our Resource, Our Responsibility Good Agricultural Practice for the Protection of Waters (Nitrates) Regulations regulate:  Collection and storage of manures  Minimisation of soiled yard areas  Timing and application rates of animal manures and inorganic fertilisers  Width of Buffer Zones to be maintained adjacent to waters  Conditions for out-wintering of livestock Control measures Agricultural Source Pollution REPS Farm Co. Monaghan

Our Water, Our Resource, Our Responsibility Voluntary measures:  Avail of farm grants to upgrade facilities  Participate in REPS  Employ good practice  Reduce use of chemical fertiliser (P&N)  Adopt better use of farm slurries  Exclude cattle from waterways  Protect riparian areas  Install vegetative buffer strips Control measures Agricultural Source Pollution

Our Water, Our Resource, Our Responsibility SUDS Wetland treatment system Cleansing systems for hard surface run off Control measures Urban and Hard Surface Run-off

Our Water, Our Resource, Our Responsibility  Water pollution and overuse is not someone else’s fault – we all contribute  What can we do in our homes and workplace to reduce pressures on water?  What needs to change at individual, sectoral and community level to improve water quality? Changing behaviour Ballybay Wetland Centre Environmental Training Centre

Our Water, Our Resource, Our Responsibility Discussion/Exercise “The significant problems we have cannot be solved at the same level of thinking with which we created them.” Albert EinsteinAlbert Einstein, (attributed) US (German-born) physicist ( )