Minister for the Environment John Gormley is introducing new enforcement measures aimed at reducing water pollution from sewage treatment facilities.
Minister Gormley signed new regulations today on licencing and policing.
The regulations will be operated by the EPA and will set strict limits on discharges in rivers, canals, lakes and groundwater.
Mr Gormley said water was a precious resource and that it is not acceptable that ground waters are being polluted unnecessarily.
Under the Nitrates Regulations, the minister also increased maximum penalties to €5,000 and/or three months imprisonment for summary offences, and €500,000 and/or one-year imprisonment for indictable offences.
The new regulations come as a new survey of water quality in Ireland found that nearly 60% of groundwater locations tested by the EPA had been contaminated with human or animal sewage.
13% of samples were grossly contaminated with disease causing agents.
As well as increased fish kills, the tests also found approximately 25% of the groundwater locations exceeded the national guideline value for nitrate concentration.
However the report also found that 92% of lake surface area and 71% of river channel are of satisfactory water quality.
Meanwhile, the Labour Party has said there has been precious little evidence to show environmental protection would at last come to the fore in the Department of the Environment.
Joanna Tuffy said Minister Gormley should now announce when he will implement and enforce EU legislation, such as the Nitrates Directive, the Water Framework Directive and the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive.
