Geological Survey of IrelandGroundwater Programme

Monica Lee Taly Hunter Williams

Caoimhe Hickey

Enterprise Ireland 7th May 2014

Groundwater Use and Management

• REGULATION• Water Framework Directive• LA Planning (SP 5/03)• Domestic Wastewater Treatment Systems/Septic Tanks

• Future (Code of Practice + PSSP 1/10) • Legacy (National Inspection Plan)

• EPA Drinking Water Safety Plans• EPA Discharges to Groundwater

• Direct discharges – karst mapping• EPA Licensed/unlicensed Landfill Risk Assessments• EU GAP Regs (2010)

• USE• Public drinking water c.17% (up to 100%)• Larger Group Water Schemes c.70%• Private supplies (100,000s well)

GSI: Groundwater Section

GSI: Groundwater Section

Aquifer GroundwaterVulnerability

Protection ofDrinking Sources

Future Work/Research• Requirement:

– Increased use: Harvest2020

– Increased regulation/implementation

– More specific/relevant maps/data

• Griffith Research: – Clean water supplies and

groundwater protection (QUB);

– Marine & Karst Groundwater Mapping (NUIG);

– Geogenic Metals in Groundwater (NUIG)

• Geoscience Research:– Karst mapping