The Local Authority Waters Programme (LAWPRO) is appealing to farmers during the current silage and land spreading season to protect watercourses from agricultural pollution.

LAWPRO, working on behalf of Ireland’s 31 local authorities to protect and restore good water quality in rivers, lakes, estuaries, ground and coastal water, are warning farmers and landowners that silage effluent, manure, fertilisers and soiled water are highly pollutant substances if they enter a watercourse.

LAWPRO’s Farming for Water EIP project lead Mairead Whitty said: “We are appealing to all farmers, landowners and contractors to take precautionary measures to ensure no harmful substances reach any watercourse on and around farms.

"During the current hot spell of weather, water levels are very low - therefore, it is it is important to protect any stream, river or lake from potential pollutants.

Guardians

"Poor silage pit management and slurry spreading practises can directly impact water quality. We are asking farmers to become guardians over their local watercourses and to take responsibility for their role in protecting them.”

It is essential that farmers maintain silage pits and slurry storage facilities to ensure leaks and overflows do not occur.

In the good agricultural practice guidelines from the Department of Agriculture, farm effluent and slurry should only be spread responsibly when heavy rain is not forecast and never close to a watercourse.

The Farming for Water EIP project is available in priority catchments across the country where water quality is not meeting its targets.