Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
THE BALMY WEATHER may make you feel like taking a dip in the sea this evening, but if you’re a Dublin southsider you’ll have to set your sights a bit further afield.
Dublin City Council (DCC) has issued a temporary prohibition order on bathing at Sandymount and Merrion Strands because the current quality of water is not up to scratch.
“A temporary bathing water prohibition has been issued for Sandymount Strand and Merrion Strand today,” the council said in a release.
These beaches will be sampled again tomorrow morning, with results being available on Monday (13 July).
DCC regularly samples the water at each of its three designated beaches (Dollymount Strand on the northside of the city, and Merrion and Sandymount Strands) during the summer bathing season to determine the quality of the water.
The purpose of the tests is to ensure that water quality is in line with that set down by the Environmental Protection Agency as per the Bathing Water Quality Regulations 2008.
Sandymount was similarly temporarily closed to bathers in July last year.
Factors which can lower the water quality of a beach include weather and tidal conditions, faecal matter from dogs and birds and temporary overflows from drains.
Nearby White Rock beach in Killiney was shut to bathers for a brief period last month after high levels of E Coli were found in water samples taken there.
Galway
A ‘do not swim’ notice was also posted at the beach in Salthill in Galway:
The move was due to the fact that elevated levels of intestinal Enterococci bacteria have been detected.
The council said:
This advice is in line with agreed national protocols and Galway City Council has been advised by the HSE as swimming in waters with elevated levels of Intestinal Enterococci bacteria may cause illness.
The warning notice is in place until further notice.
“The likely cause of the elevated levels of Intestinal Enterococci from the sample taken on Monday last are unknown and investigations are ongoing,” said the council. Full results of the testing were received, and re-sampling has taken place.
The council anticipates that these re-sampling results will be available on Saturday. After these are received, it will issue an updated notice.
Results of samples at other beaches in the area, including Silver Strand and Grattan Road beach, “were well within the guidelines for safe swimming”, said the council.
- Additional reporting Aoife Barry
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
It has to be those brown trouts floating about.
In this day and age how is ecoli ( human sewerage? ) getting into the bay in sufficient volumes to impact these beaches?
Any ideas?
Is raw sewerage getting into the rivers or is it the ringsend plant?
faecal hand of faith I’d say.
I worked on a trawler out of Howth in the past.After witnessing the muck , filth and human waste we hawled up in our nets , I wouldn’t stick my little toe in any waters off Dublin. I apply the same rules to eating fish and shellfish from the same waters.
Did a microbiology project many moons ago testing for pathogens in the waters around Sandymount Strand. Suffice to say 20 years later I still wouldn’t even paddle in thyself waters. The Irish Sea is filthy which is highly regrettable.
‘Those’ rather
Fitz I grow up not 5 mins from the strand and never did we or anyone I know swim in it .You walked on it that was about it .
“Dublin city council have banned swimming from merrion strand” Is that so difficult rather than these stupid click bait headlines!
The outfall from Ringsend plant goes out 3km so imagine with dilution the amount of raw sewage that must go out for Ecoli to arrive back on shore. We will not be told but obviously the Ringsend plant is not functioning as it should.
The same people giving out , would also give out about sewerage treatment plants being built near them . Or paying for taxes to help upgrade existing plants .
They will bring in a White tax now.
Shite……
Folks this is not on. Please serioous answers , ideas. I will act on them.
1 ringsend plant
2 liffey
3 other rivers dodder, tolka?
Something needs to be done…any ideas?
it’s all the people bring there dogs for walks and not having any consideration for anyone by not cleaning up after the pets if your not willing to clean after there pets don’t have a pet
Hmmm no it’s not. The occasional dog crap left on the sand is not responsible for the high numbers of E. Coli and staph coliforms in the water. That’s our crap that’s causing that. Inconsiderate it may be it’s not the cause, you might look to complain also to whomever owns those washed up sanitary towels I see whilst walking my dogs. (Poo bags at hand at all times naturally)
Salthill beaches in Galway have been closed as well.
have your say