Skip to main content
N I Direct government services

Main navigation

  • Home
  • News
  • Contacts
  • Help
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • RSS

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Environment and the outdoors
  3. Environmental quality in your area

Air and water quality

You can check the air quality and how clean your waters are. You also have the right to access environmental information from public bodies.

Air quality

Local air quality information is collected at 21 sites across Northern Ireland for the following pollutants:

  • nitrogen oxides
  • sulphur dioxide
  • lead
  • particulate matter
  • carbon monoxide
  • ground level ozone

The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs' (DAERA) Northern Ireland Air website and the Northern Ireland Air App give live local air quality information. Levels of pollutants are given a number from one (low levels) to 10 (high levels). 

  • Live local air quality information

The Northern Ireland Air App

The Northern Ireland Air App can be downloaded free of charge to iPhone and Android devices. The app keeps you up-to-date about air pollution in Northern Ireland and gives you: 

  • easy access to the latest pollution levels from the monitoring sites
  • colour-coded map showing the pollution forecasts
  • approved health advice based on the pollution levels
  • subscription to free alerts when moderate, high and very high pollution is forecast

Download the app:

  • Northern Ireland Air App for iPhone 
  • Northern Ireland Air App for Android

If you suffer from a chronic illness that affects your breathing, such as asthma, or heart disease, you can receive alerts free to your mobile phone  when levels are high. 

  • Air pollution and health

    Your local council may also have its own air quality information.

    • Local councils in Northern Ireland

    Water quality

    Rivers and Lakes

    The Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) monitors the water quality of over 500 river sites and 21 large lakes. Biological and chemical quality is checked through monitoring. This information is then used to classify the quality of each river or lake on a five band system ranging from high to bad. This information is publicly available.

    • Status of rivers and lakes

    Catchment planning

    Over a six yearly cycle, NIEA assesses the health of the water catchments. NIEA also manages water resources sustainably, identifies actions to improve water quality and works to protect the water environment.

    • River basin management

    Groundwater

    NIEA monitor the groundwater chemical quality of over 55 sites throughout Northern Ireland. This data alongside additional information is used to classify groundwater bodies as either good or poor status. More information is available on the DAERA website: 

    • Groundwater

    More useful links

    • Flooding in your area
    • Bathing water quality
    • Northern Ireland Water
    • Environmental Protection UK
    • UK-AIR: Air Information Resource
    • Water information and request viewer
    Share this page Share on Facebook (external link opens in a new window / tab) Share on Twitter (external link opens in a new window / tab) Share by email (external link opens in a new window / tab)

    Environmental quality in your area

    • Accessing environmental information
    • Air and water quality
    • Air pollution and health
    • Bathing water quality
    • Climate change
    • Radiation in the environment
    • Radon gas in your home
    • Report polluted land and water
    • Report waste crime

    Translation help

    How to translate this page

    Help improve this page - send your feedback

    What do you want to do?
    Report a problem
    Which problem did you find on this page? (Tick all that apply)

    Messages

    You will not receive a reply. We will consider your feedback to help improve the site.

    Don't include any personal or financial information, for example National Insurance, credit card numbers, or phone numbers.

    What is your question about?

    What to do next

    Comments or queries about angling can be emailed to anglingcorrespondence@daera-ni.gov.uk 

    If you have a comment or query about benefits, you will need to contact the government department or agency which handles that benefit.  Contacts for common benefits are listed below.

    Carer's Allowance

    Call 0800 587 0912
    Email 
    dcs.incomingpostteamdhc2@nissa.gsi.gov.uk

    Discretionary support / Short-term benefit advance

    Call 0800 587 2750 
    Email 
    customerservice.unit@communities-ni.gov.uk

    Disability Living Allowance

    Call 0800 587 0912 
    Email dcs.incomingpostteamdhc2@nissa.gsi.gov.uk

    Employment and Support Allowance

    Call 0800 587 1377

    Jobseeker’s Allowance

    Contact your local Jobs & Benefits office

    Personal Independence Payment

    Call 0800 587 0932

    If your query is about another benefit, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

    Comments or queries about the Blue Badge scheme can be emailed to bluebadges@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk or you can also call 0300 200 7818.

    For queries or advice about careers, contact the Careers Service.

    For queries or advice about Child Maintenance, contact the Child Maintenance Service.

    For queries or advice about claiming compensation due to a road problem, contact DFI Roads claim unit.

    If you can’t find the information you’re looking for in the Coronavirus (COVID-19) section, then for queries about:

    • Restrictions or regulations — contact the Department of Health
    • Travel advice (including self-isolation) — contact the Department of Health
    • Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccinations — contact the Department of Health or Public Health Agency

    If your query is about another topic, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

    For queries about your identity check, email nida@nidirect.gov.uk and for queries about your certificate, email covidcertni@hscni.net.

    For queries or advice about criminal record checks, email ani@accessni.gov.uk

    Application and payment queries can be emailed to ema_ni@slc.co.uk

    For queries or advice about employment rights, contact the Labour Relations Agency.

    For queries or advice about birth, death, marriage and civil partnership certificates and research, contact the General Register Office Northern Ireland (GRONI) by email gro_nisra@finance-ni.gov.uk

    For queries about the High Street Spend Local Scheme,  email HSSS.mail@economy-ni.gov.uk.

    For queries about:

    • Car tax, vehicle registration and SORN
      contact the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), Swansea
       
    • Driver licensing and tests, MOT and vehicle testing
      contact the Driver & Vehicle Agency (DVA), Northern Ireland

    If your query is about another topic, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

    For queries about your identity check, email nida@nidirect.gov.uk.

     

    For queries or advice about passports, contact HM Passport Office.

    For queries or advice about Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs), including parking tickets and bus lane PCNs, email dcu@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk

    For queries or advice about pensions, contact the Northern Ireland Pension Centre.

    If you wish to report a problem with a road or street you can do so online in this section.

    If you wish to check on a problem or fault you have already reported, contact DfI Roads.

    For queries or advice about historical, social or cultural records relating to Northern Ireland, use the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) enquiry service.

    For queries or advice about rates, email LPSCustomerTeam@lpsni.gov.uk

    For queries or advice about  60+ and Senior Citizen SmartPasses (which can be used to get concessionary travel on public transport), contact Smartpass - Translink.

    If you have a question about a government service or policy, you should contact the relevant government organisation directly.  We don't have access to information about you.

    Related sites

    • gov.uk
    • nibusinessinfo.co.uk

    Links to supporting information

    • Accessibility statement
    • Crown copyright
    • Terms and conditions
    • Privacy
    • Cookies
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • RSS