WATER ABSTRACTION REGISTRATION REMINDER

The Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government launched a register of water abstractions in accordance with the European Union (Water Policy) (Abstractions Registration) Regulations 2018 (S.I. No. 261 of 2018) in August 2018. People who abstract 25 cubic meters (25,000 litres) of water or more per day are required to register their water abstraction with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The official deadline for registration passed on 16 November 2018 and the EPA estimates that about 10 to 15% of abstractions of 25 or more cubic meters per day have been registered to date from the farming sector.  

People who take 25 cubic meters per day (25,000 litres) or more from a well, river, lake or stream are required to register their abstraction with the EPA.

Mains water is not included in this. Therefore, if a person is only using mains water, they do not have to register.

The regulations apply to all water users, for example farmers, golf clubs, industry, hotels etc.

The legislation covering this area is available at the following link - http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2018/si/261/made/en/pdf

The EPA has asked DAFM to issue a reminder to FAS advisors regarding the requirement for farmers to register for water abstraction of 25 cubic meters (25,000 litres)    It is calculated that registration is required for the following farm categories of farms – and to assist the EPA, reminder letters will issue shortly to farmers identified as in the categories below:

Registration is still open. Registration details are provide below. You are kindly requested to bring this requirement to the attention of your farmer clients. 

The following are the steps to register an abstraction -

1. Sign up to the EDEN website and request access to the Water Abstractions Module. Guidance on this process is available here.
2. Submit your abstraction details in the Water Abstractions Module via the EDEN website. Guidance on this process is available here.
3. When your registration is complete, you will receive a confirmation email from the EPA.

Please contact the EPA on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with any queries. Background information to the Water Abstraction Regulations is available on the EPA website at the following link.