Environment Fund – Water Quality Improvement Strand

Applications are now closed. 
Applications for 2026-27 closed at 23.59h on Wednesday 18^th February 2026.

The awarding of any funding is subject to departmental budgets being approved. No letters of offer will be issued until the budget has been approved.

The key areas for funding under the Water Quality Improvement strand are:

Connecting people with the aquatic environment to achieve behavioural change

• Volunteering, including the establishment of new local groups or greater public involvement within existing groups, to improve the water environment e.g. adopt a “local water body”, host a river day.
• Community engagement and citizen science for aquatic/ marine conservation, protection and improvement e.g. Anglers’ Riverfly Monitoring Initiative, Invasive non-native species identification and training, outfall safari training, litter picking (can include purchase of specialist equipment).
• Engaging and empowering the community to support to increase understanding of the water environment or develop citizen science skills, such as species identification or water quality monitoring, water conservation and development of digital/social media and webinars that tie in with behavioural change and raise awareness of key issues.
• Local Pollution Prevention campaigns e.g. drainage misconnections, workshops, signage, leaflets.

Conservation, Protection and Restoration of our Aquatic environments:

• Creation, protection or restoration of aquatic, coastal or marine habitat.
• Creation of blue and associated green spaces.
• Recovery of threatened aquatic and marine species.
• Improving and maintaining fish passage.
• Tackling invasive non-native species e.g. removal and biosecurity planning.
• Preventing, removing or cleaning up pollution e.g. litter picking, wetlands, buffer zones, awareness raising.
• Water quality surveying and monitoring e.g. Anglers’ Riverfly Monitoring Initiative, baseline surveys and post project surveys.
• The development of restoration plans.
• Action that aids the improvement of water quality e.g. tackling diffuse pollution.

Nature-based solutions, particularly for climate change mitigation and adaptation

These projects should seek to work sustainably with the water environment to address socio-environmental issues, particularly in reference to climate change and flood risk management.

For example, projects may include, but are not limited to, action contributing to:

• Peatland and other wetland restoration to reduce pollution and flooding.
• Natural flood management e.g. silt trapping including woody debris to drains, swales, attenuation ponds, measures to prevent soil erosion and nutrient run off.
• Creating, enhancing or connecting blue and green infrastructure.
• River or waterways bank stabilization and in-stream improvements.
• Riparian management / tree planting, planting of native species/hedgerows, de-tunnelling, etc.

How to apply for the Environment Fund – Water Quality Improvement Strand

The application form and guidance documents can be viewed on our web page Environment Fund - Water Quality Improvement Strand - Information Webcast

You can get a copy of these documents in other formats, including paper copy, large print, braille, and other languages. To request an alternative format, please contact The Integrated Catchment Management Team and ask to talk to a member of the team.
Email: catchmentplanning@daera-ni.gov.uk  Telephone: 0300 200 7850  

If you have a hearing difficulty you can contact the Department via Text Relay. Dial: 18001 0300 200 7850

• Environment Fund – Water Quality Improvement Strand – Application Form
• Environment Fund – Water Quality Improvement Strand – Guidance Notes
• Environment Fund – Water Quality Improvement Strand – Eligibility and Environmental Priorities
• Environment Fund – Water Quality Improvement Strand – Environmental Scoping Report Guidance Notes
• Environment Fund – Water Quality Improvement Strand – Indicative Conditions of Offer

Please read the Guidance notes and other documents thoroughly to decide if the Water Quality Improvement strand of the Environment Fund is suitable for your project.

1. Read the indicative conditions of offer (see link above) which outline many of the conditions you will need to comply with if you are awarded funding. You will need to consider the actions you will need to undertake to deliver these and any associated costs as part of your application;
2. Consider discussing your project proposal with your NIEA Catchment Officer. Contact details can be provided by Catchment Team staff who can be contacted by email RiverBasinPlanning@daera-ni.gov.uk
3. Complete the Water Quality Improvement Strand Application Form referring to the Guidance Notes.
4. Submit the application form to catchmentplanning@daera-ni.gov.uk by 23:59h on Wednesday 18 February 2026.
5. DAERA reserves the right to make an offer of funding that is different from the details or financial amounts that are set out in the applications.

How much can we offer?

The Water Quality Improvement strand of the Environment Fund budget is limited.

For the Environment Fund – Water Quality Strand funding will cover up to 85 % of total project cost. The minimum that can be awarded is £5,000 and the maximum is £30,000 (subject to budget approval). Payment of grant will be in arrears unless there are exceptional circumstances requiring a degree of payment upfront.

The creation of buildings is not eligible.

Applications may be refused or offered at a lower level of funding, if there are concerns about value for money, risks in delivering the outputs or insufficient budget.