Prolonged heat and drought are placing Ireland’s rivers under increasing pressure. Low water levels reduce their capacity to dilute pollution, while higher temperatures can lower dissolved oxygen concentrations. When pollutants enter watercourses already affected by these conditions, the consequences for aquatic life can become considerably more severe.
These conditions have become particularly visible through several recent fish kills across Ireland. However, the issue forms part of a wider challenge, as several pressures are affecting Ireland’s rivers, lakes and drinking-water sources:
- Agricultural runoff carrying nutrients and other pollutants into waterways.
- Untreated or inadequately treated wastewater.
- Changes to rivers and surrounding land that can damage natural habitats.
- Heat and drought increase temperatures and intensify existing water-quality problems.
These pressures also matter for drinking-water supplies because they can affect the quality of the water reaching treatment plants. Water can naturally contain organic matter from soil, plants and peatlands. IntoDBP is working to reduce these risks by improving the protection and monitoring of water sources and helping treatment plants respond to changing water conditions. The objective is to maintain effective disinfection while limiting the formation of potentially harmful by-products.
The project’s Irish case study involves three small community water schemes. They obtain their water from lakes and a mountain stream located in areas with extensive peatland, which can influence the amount of organic matter entering the water.
IntoDBP is monitoring these water sources to understand how their quality changes and to identify possible measures to protect them. By combining source-water protection with better monitoring and treatment, the project aims to support safer and more resilient drinking-water supplies.
