The quality of Kerry’s rivers has is mostly good or moderate, but has declined in the last few years.
That’s according to the environmental watchdog’s latest report on water quality in Ireland for 2019-2024.
The Environmental Protection Agency says overall, water quality remains in decline in Ireland.
The EPA’s report shows around 9% of Kerry’s rivers have high water quality, while over half of the county’s rivers are of good water quality.
Just under a third of the rivers in Kerry are of moderate quality, with around 7% designated poor quality.
The River Laune is one of only six rivers nationwide, and the only in Kerry, to be designated as bad.
The vast majority of the rivers in Kerry have not changed status since the last report, which covered up until 2021, but 27 of them declined in status while just 12 improved.
The EPA report shows the coastal waters around Kerry are of high quality, while groundwater quality in Kerry is good, except for a small pocket at Inch which is poor.
The majority of Kerry’s lakes assessed by the EPA were found to be high or good quality.
The EPA says overall, water quality remains in decline despite significant actions and programmes underway nationally to improve water quality.
It says evidence shows there are improvements in some areas and across all sectors, but these are being offset by declines elsewhere.
Excess nutrients from agriculture and waste water, is said to still be the greatest issue for water quality.
