A temporary 'Do Not Swim' notice has been issued for Front Strand Beach in Balbriggan in north Dublin due to high levels of E.coli bacteria.
Fingal County Council said that the notice follows "poor" E.coli results from a scheduled bathing water sample which was taken on Monday of this week. The council said the notice will remain in place for three days.
In a statement, Fingal County Council said: "Preliminary e.coli results from Claremont met ‘sufficient’ water quality, as a result a resample will be taken and the situation monitored. Resamples have been scheduled at Front Strand Balbriggan and Claremont beach for tomorrow with results due on Friday, 29 July when the notice will be reviewed."
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According to Fingal County Council, while swimming is currently prohibited the Balbriggan beach remains open to the public. E.coli is a a type of bacteria that normally lives in your intestines and it's also found in the gut of some animals.
Most types of E. coli are harmless, but some strains can cause diarrhea if you eat contaminated food or drink fouled water, and people that are pregnant or have a weakened immune system are particularly at risk. Members of the public can check for water quality at any of the monitored bathing waters in Ireland in advance by accessing the EPA website , or by checking the notice board at the entrance to each beach.
Beach waters are deemed to be of a “poor” standard if there is predicted to be more than a 10% chance of contracting gastro-intestinal illness from swimming in it.
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