Ireland's UN SDGs 2019 - Report on Indicators for Goal 6 Clean Water and Sanitation

LAWPRO has three core aims:

• Coordinate efforts by Local Authorities, public bodies and other stakeholders to achieve the environmental objectives of the EU Water Framework Directive.
• Support local communities who wish to get involved in the care of their local waters and engage with river basin planning.
• Build a better understanding of the issues impacting on water quality at a local level and recommend improvement measures.

The programme has two teams:

The Communities Team supports communities and stakeholders in the delivery of local water quality projects and initiatives.  The team also works with rivers trusts and catchment partnerships, which are emerging across the country.

The Catchment Assessment Team are implementing measures within 190 priority Areas For Action aimed at improving water quality.  This involves river assessments and stream walks to understand the issues affecting water quality.  Working with local communities, landowners, business owners and public bodies, this team develops relevant and workable solutions.  The Programme supports the Agricultural Sustainability and Advisory Programme, working with farmers in the Areas For Action.

This is a new way of working to achieve better water quality and it is being supported by community action right across the country.

Community engagement activities and approaches through the Community Water Officers in 2019 included:

Community Water Development Fund

The fund is open to all community and voluntary groups to assist in the protection and management of water quality, locally and in the wider catchment.  It enables communities to get more involved in the management of their water environment, delivering multiple benefits for present and future generations.  In 2019 LAWPRO received 151 applications under this fund and following a robust assessment process 104 grants were awarded.  Grants awarded range from up to €5,000; up to €10,000 and up to €25,000, with the fund capped at €180,000 for 2019. 

Water Heritage Day

LAWPRO collaborates with The Heritage Council during National Heritage Week to promote and support Water Heritage Day as the last day of National Heritage Week.  2019 was the third successive year of this collaboration and LAWPRO supported 61 local events across the country, ranging from walks and talks along rivers and lakes to boat trips and local festivities.

Waters & Communities Tidy Towns Special Award

This award is to recognise communities taking positive steps to enhance their local rivers, lakes, streams, canals and coast.  It is sponsored by Inland Fisheries Ireland, Waterways Ireland and LAWPRO.  There were 31 entries from Tidy Towns groups across the country.

National Ploughing Championships

2019 was the third successive year that LAWPRO attended the National Ploughing Championships and a third successive collaboration with the National Federation of Group Water Schemes.  The ’Water Quality’ stand in 2019 was located in the ’Environment, Climate and Sustainability’ marquee, managed by the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment (DCCAE)*.  All agencies and public bodies in that space were linked by the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

*Please note that DCCAE became Department of Environment Climate and Communications (DECC) in 2020.

Non Governmental Organisations and The Water Stakeholder

1. Environmental Groups

The Sustainable Water Network (SWAN) is an umbrella network of twenty-four of Ireland’s leading environmental groups working together to protect Ireland’s waters by participating in the implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD), Marine Strategy Framework and other water-related policy in Ireland.  A key focus of SWAN’s work involves collaborating at local, national and River Basin District level to ensure that the Water Framework Directive is implemented in the spirit as well as the letter of the law.

SWAN is made up of national and local groups with a wide range of local knowledge and specialist expertise in all areas of Ireland’s aquatic environment.  The cooperative work of this network is contributing significantly to achieving real protection for our rivers, lakes, estuaries, coastal and ground waters.

The Irish Environmental Network is an umbrella network that works to support environmental NGOs through access to funding and services.  It consists of environmental NGOs that carry out their work through practical conservation work, campaigning, lobbying and raising public awareness of environmental and conservation needs.  Funding is supported by the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment (DCCAE).

2. The Water Forum

An Fóram Uisce (The Water Forum) was statutorily established in June 2018, pursuant to the Water Services Act 2017. Upon its statutory establishment, the pre-existing Public Water Forum and the National Rural Water Services Committee were dissolved and their functions transferred to An Fóram.  

An Fóram provides an opportunity for stakeholders to debate and analyse a range of issues with regard to water quality, rural water concerns, issues affecting customers of Irish Water and the implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive.

Public Consultations relating to Water Sanitation and Management are routinely held.

1. Government Department Consultations

Information on public consultations held by government departments and local authorities is available online. 

Examples of consultations are:

• Public Consultation on the Significant Water Management Issues for the third cycle River Basin Management Plan for Ireland 2022-2027
• Ireland’s Nitrates Action Programme
• Draft Climate Change Sectoral Adaptation Plan for Water Quality and Water Services Infrastructure
• General Scheme of the Water Environment (Abstractions) Bill 2018

2. Irish Water Consultations

Irish Water has published the first Phase, the draft Framework Plan of the National Water Resources Plan (NWRP), for public consultation.  The NWRP is Ireland’s first 25-year strategic plan enabling us to move towards safe, secure, reliable and sustainable water supplies for all of our customers and communities, whilst safeguarding public health and the environment. 

UN-Water Global Analysis and Assessment of Sanitation and Drinking-Water - GLAAS 2018/2019 country survey. 

Community and user participation questions are in Section A14 of the GLAAS Questionnaire.

The GLAAS survey solicits information on the delivery of drinking-water supply, sanitation services, and the status of hygiene promotion activities.  Questions in the survey focus on national policies, plans and targets and finance and cover topics required for SDG monitoring as well as questions on governance, monitoring and human resources.  The next GLAAS survey cycle will open to countries in September/October 2021.