Transitional and Coastal Water Framework Directive Sampling 2024, 2025, 2026 and 2027

The Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC) (WFD) was adopted in October 2000 and transposed into Irish legislation by the European Communities (Water Policy) Regulations 722/2003. The objective of the Directive is to prevent any further deterioration in status of surface waters, groundwater and water dependent ecosystems and to restore polluted water bodies to at least ‘good status’. Under the WFD, the types of water bodies requiring assessment include rivers, lakes, groundwater and transitional and coastal waters. A national monitoring Programme to provide an overview of water quality status in transitional and coastal waters has been established and is undertaken by the Environmental Protection Agency, Marine Institute and the Inland Fisheries Ireland. The Programme is coordinated by the EPA and covers the sampling and data collection of multiple physico-chemical and biological elements including, for example, Nutrients, Oxygenation conditions, Phytoplankton biomass. The EPA proposes to establish a multi operator framework agreement for transitional and coastal sampling in 2024, 2025, 2026 and 2027.