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A six-year plan to improve the quality of water in Northern
Ireland's rivers has been launched by Environment Minister
Edwin Poots.
The implementation of the 'River Basin Management Plans'
takes place from 2010 to 2015.
The Minister explained - “We rely on our water environment
not only for drinking water, but also recreation, industry,
tourism and agriculture. As our waters are home to over 50%
of our plants, animals and habitats, the quality is vitally
important.”
The Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA)
Water Management Unit will actively work with a range of stakeholders
in each river basin area across Northern Ireland to develop
focused plans to improve the quality of our water.
The Minister added - “I have worked with my Executive colleagues
to bring forward an ambitious, though balanced, programme
of measures to improve the management and quality of our rivers,
lakes, marine waters and groundwater. Using
river basin planning, we will take an integrated
approach to the protection, improvement and sustainable use
of the water environment - from source to sea. I look forward
to reviewing the success of these measures throughout the
2010 - 2015 period."
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