BATHING BANS AT a number of Dublin beaches have been extended pending testing following yesterday’s wastewater spill. 

Following heavy rainfall on Thursday night and Friday morning, Irish Water confirmed to Dublin City Council and Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council that wastewater spilled from their water treatment plant.

As a result, a bathing ban was put in place in now in place for Dollymount, Merrion, Sandymount, Seapoint, Sandycove, the Forty Foot, Killiney and White Rock.  

The latter five locations are in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown and the council has now confirmed that the bathing ban have been extended beyond the initial time of 6pm this evening until 3pm on Monday. 

“This decision has been taken pending test results from Friday 9 August and also as the weather forecast for the weekend is for more rain there could be a possibility of more overflows,” DLR said in a statement.

The bathing ban for the other three Dublin City Council locations also remains in place with the council saying that it will lift the prohibition notices “as soon as the water quality results are at the required standard”.

In a statement to TheJournal.ie yesterday, Irish Water said that the stormwater overflow operated in compliance with regulations, and was fully screened and settled.

“When there is unusually heavy and sustained rainfall, such as during a Status Yellow weather warning, the amount of water entering the sewer network can be more than the capacity of a plant and the holding tanks,” Irish Water said. 

In Co Clare,  a ‘Do Not Swim’ notice has also been issued for Kilkee beach also due to the discharge of wastewater into the sea.

“On the advice of the HSE and in the interest of public health, members of the public are advised not to swim or engage in other recreational activities in the water at this time,” Clare County Council said in a statement today. 

Water testing is also taking place in Kilkee but a red flag has been raised until results are completed.