EU Project Aiming To Make East Clare Region Benchmark For Water Quality

Clare FM

The long awaited delivery of an EU funded project will aim to make an East Clare region a benchmark for Irish Water Quality. It comes as the Waters of Life Programme will be outlining its high level objectives to bring the quality of rivers and streams in the Graney-Sub Catchment area up to a premium standard. It's now been over two years since the waterbody was included in the €20m EU funded Waters of Life Programme, which aims to combat the decline of Ireland's high status rivers. The Graney sub-catchment area also includes the Drumindoora, Bleach, Corra Rivers, Lough Graney and Lough Attorick and the area includes roughly 1,350 people within the villages of Flagmount, Caher, Killanena and Dromindoora. A recent analysis by the Local Authority Water Programme determined the water quality in the Graney River was 'mixed' and cited a high level of forestry and man made barriers as the main problems. The Waters of Life will soon be conducting a risk assessment of the Graney sub-catchment area to identify pressure points where large amounts of sediment are being deposited into the water and how to combat them. The Programme's Agricultural Scientist John Kelly says tackling the problem will be crucial to the projects success. Under EU Law, the Government is legally required to introduce measures to ensure chemical and ecological water quality is good or better across the country's waterways. Although, the EPA assigned good ecological status to the Dromindoora, Corra and Bleach Rivers, the Water's of Life programme will aim to elevate this to high status. Next Wednesday at 7.30pm, a public meeting will be held at the Flagmount Community Centre to present an update on water quality and the project’s approach to catchment management. Waters of Life Engagement Officer Ross O'Donoghue insists community consultation will be vital if they're to meet their goals.