River Boyne Water Quality Management Plan - EPA

Kivrr UO~IIC Water QualiQ hlanagcnrnl Plan1. Introduction1.1 BackgrorrndRiver Boyne Water Quality Management PlanSystematic management of water resources is necessary to ensure the required balance betweendevelopment pressures and the safeguarding of the natural and built environment for futuregenerations.The Local Government (Water Pollution) Acts, 1977 - 90 and subsequent regulations provide for thecontrol of water pollution by means of a licensing system for all trade effluent and domestic effluentsover 5m3 in 24 hours and allows for the development of Water Quality Management Plans on a rivercatchment basis.Under Section 15 of the 1977 Act, provision is made for the preparation of Water QualityManagement Plans to provide an essential tool to assist policy makers in the management of waterbodies. The plan takes account of present and potential future beneficial uses and sets water qualityobjectives to meet and sustain these demands. Key elements ofthe plan include:-r An underslartding of the river system and it 'S water reso~trc&68 The present %vater qualiIy stat~isr Existing land use and azanagernent issWater quality objec~ives and' ,T)and criteriaFziIzire warer qziality managerner~~saies and their hltegrarion into a cohere111 ooerallplair,+ CThe publication by the Minister fokd~nvironment of the document 'Managing Ireland's Rivers andLakes - "A Catchment Based Strategy Against Eutrophication" in May, 1997 sets out national policyfor improvement in water quality in Ireland's Rivers and Lakes. It sets out interim standards forRivers and Lakes to be achieved at the latest by the year 2007.For inspection purposes only.Consent of copyright owner required for any other use.The following principles underpin current National and E.U. Policy:-. Concept of sustoinable development ; S~rstainable developnzent is developn~el~r tha! nreets theneeds of !he present without compromising the ability offiiture generarions to rneer their ownneeds.Principle of precnutiortnry ncriort ; The redzrctioi? of risks to the environnlertt by takingavoiding action bejare any problem arises.EPA Export 26-07-2013:17:26:59