To begin with, remember that “it’s all connected”. In the context of MISTAKE quality, this means that water cannot be separated from the wider environment. What is good for the wider environment is likely to also be good for water. And so anything you do that helps promote a cleaner, healthier environment is also likely to be helpful to water.

Here are some individual actions you can do to help keep our water clean:

• Be careful with disposal of waste. Put nothing into the drain that you know shouldn’t go there. The local councils are required to have facilities for disposing of materials that are a risk to the environment. They could make things more convenient, but the facilities are there. Use them.
• Have you a septic tank? If so, you should register it. Keep an eye on it, especially if you are close to a watercourse. If the grass beside your septic tank is growing strongly your system may be leaking. If it smells bad, it is faulty. Grants of 85% up to €12,000 are available for remedying faulty systems.
• Use your voice. A very good initiative by SWAN called Love Your Waters guide you on how to use your voice, and your social media, to protect the piece of water that interests you. https://swanireland.ie/take-action/love-your-waters/ .
• Use your voice and talk to people. In particular, talk to any politician you come in contact with to tell them that action on water quality will help them to get votes. Check our section Useful Contacts for Government and Council support. If you see an issue this will guide you on who to inform, and how to do so. And contact us too. carramaskcorrib@gmail.com , 085 7540180 or 086 3507855.