Waterford 'did not do well' on environmental enforcement in 2023
Water sample. Hand in glove holding a test tube of clear water. Concept - water purity analysis, environment, ecology. Water testing for infections, permission to swim
Water, air and noise enforcement in Waterford was “unsatisfactory” in 2023, according to a new EPA report.
The Local Authority Environmental Enforcement Performance Report found that Waterford City and County Council failed to achieve a strong or excellent score in 10 or more of the 20 National Enforcement Priorities (NEPs) examined by the EPA.
However, Waterford achieved nine strong or excellent scores, up from three in 2022.
The Local Authority was one of six councils to fail the audit alongside Westmeath, Wexford, Sligo, Galway City and Kilkenny.
Waterford was excellent in some areas of governance and air and noise enforcement.
The Council was also strong in areas of waste and air monitoring and governance, moderate on some waste, water quality and noise pollution enforcement and governance, and Limited on pressures from agriculture.
The EPA has a supervisory role to assess and audit local authorities’ environmental enforcement performance under the EAP Local Authority Performance Framework.
