Urban waste water, dog fouling and heavy rain present the biggest challenges to Ireland’s bathing water quality, say the Environmental Protection Agency.
But farmers near Lilliput, Lough Ennell in Westmeath have shown that when action is taken, even beaches rated poor for three years because of their practices can be improved.
As a result, the restriction on swimming at the beach has since been removed.
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According to the latest Bathing Water in Ireland report just four of the country’s 148 designated swimming spots didn’t meet minimum standards in 2021.
Balbriggan, Front Strand Beach in North County Dublin and Lady’s Bay, Buncrana Donegal were rated poor, while two new spots will have to wait to 2022 for classification.
Balbriggan fell below minimum standards because of sewage pollution while the water quality at Lady’s Bay was hit by faeces from dogs, birds and other animals as well as contaminated surface streams flowing through the town.
Over three quarters of the swimming spots monitored, meanwhile, reached the ‘excellent’ standard in 2021.
Reports of pollution incidents also fell from 57 in 2020 to 42 while the number of prior warnings issued (104) were down 31 from the previous year.
Commenting on the latest report, Dr Eimear Cotter, Director of the EPA’s Office of Evidence and Assessment, said: “Bathing water quality in Ireland is high and last year saw further improvements compared with 2020.
“This is good news as we approach the summer when we can enjoy our local beaches and bathing areas, which are an important natural amenity for health and wellbeing.”
Currently the state of swimming waters around Ireland is monitored from June 1 to September 15.
Year-round swimmers up and down the country have long been calling for the bathing water season to be extended.
We reported in December how some, including Environment Minister Eamon Ryan, had reported ill health as a result of the lack of year round monitoring.
Labour TD Ivana Bacik asked the Government in October why they had not delivered on “promised legislation” that would allow local authorities “to determine the bathing season for the purpose of monitoring water quality at beaches and swimming areas” to allow water quality to be tested all year round.
Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage officials said then they were “examining the most suitable options to provide for safe bathing water during the winter months”, but ministers Noonan and O’Brien have yet to announce any changes.
Dr Cotter added: “The EPA recognises that swimming is increasingly becoming a year-round activity and encourages the provision of information that will help winter swimmers to make informed choices to protect their health.
“The findings and outcome of the multi-stakeholder National Bathing Water Expert Group, due later this year, will provide important information in this regard and help identify potential options to better protect bathers who swim year-round.”
According to the EPA there remain other “issues which need to be addressed, to protect and further improve bathing waters”.
“Agriculture, urban waste water and fouling from dogs on beaches still impact the quality of bathing waters,” they added.
“In addition, heavy rainfall can also quickly impact by washing pollution into our bathing waters.”
Throughout summer, water quality information and details of any incidents affecting them will be displayed on the www.beaches.ie website.
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