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Sasko Lazarov

Most of Ireland's beaches get an A+ for water quality. Is yours one of them?

Six popular beaches didn’t make the EU standard.

THE WATER AT the vast majority of Ireland’s beaches and inland swimming spots is of excellent quality, according to a new report.

The Environmental Protection Agency’s report for 2015 looked at 137 locations around the country that are regularly used for swimming. It found that 93% of the locations tested had water that met EU standards for bathing.

Almost three-quarters of the beaches monitored were classified as having ‘excellent’ quality water by EU standards.

On the opposite end of the scale, the EPA identified six coastal locations where people regularly swim and where the water quality is ‘poor’.

Of the six beaches that don’t meet the EU standards, three are in Dublin. They are:

  • Merrion Strand.
  • Loughshinny Beach.
  • Rush’s South Beach.

The other beaches that don’t meet the EU standard are Strand Beach in Youghal, Ballyloughane Beach in Galway City and Duncannon Beach in Wexford. In the case of the first two, the EPA says that there have been improvements in the water quality since last year.

A location not being up to standard does not automatically mean that people are advised against swimming, but if the water quality at a location is described as ‘poor’ five years in a row then people are advised against bathing there.

Bathing Water Quality Map of Ireland (1) Environmental Protection Agency. Environmental Protection Agency.

(Click here for a larger image)

In 2015 the EPA says it was notified of 147 incidents nationwide, seven of which related to wastewater discharges.  

Overall, the nationwide picture is good with the EPA noting that compliance levels from 2014 were met again last year despite stricter rules and last year’s wet summer . 

Bacterial pollution is often more prevalent after heavy rainfall with wastewater more likely to be washed into streams and watercourses.

As well as the 137 beaches that are required to be monitored, other inland and coastal beach swimming locations are also checked by local authorities nationwide. Of those, just Ballyvooney and Stradbally in Waterford were deemed to be of poor quality.

PastedImage-7587 EPA.ie EPA.ie

Speaking following the publication of the report, the EPA’s Peter Webster says substandard locations don’t mean there’s a risk to bathers at all times.

People should, however, be aware if there are specific notifications from the local council.

“The fact that any bathing water has been classified as ‘poor’ means that there is a risk of periodic microbiological pollution,” he explains.

Throughout the season, current water quality information and details of any incidents affecting bathing waters is displayed on the national bathing water website.

The EPA’s bathing water website, Splash, also has details of water quality at swimming locations, classifying each as ‘excellent’, ‘good’, ‘sufficient’ or ‘poor’.

Read the bathing water report in full > 

Read: Has your local beach or bathing spot been given a Blue Flag this year? >

Read: South Dublin and Salthill water not fit for swimming >

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18 Comments
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    Mute dstaffx
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    Apr 5th 2016, 7:26 AM

    Is a pity the sand is left littered with cans, bottles, nappies and everything else by some people that use them.

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    Mute Marg murphy
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    Apr 5th 2016, 7:52 AM

    It’s better than it used to be. We’ve had a major cultural shift in this regard in the last 30 years. I see people picking up after themselves at the beach and for most it’s the norm. But the few badly brought up low lives really ruin it for the rest. And of course those same low lives are not to approached if you value your health.

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    Mute Ivor Hardy
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    Apr 5th 2016, 8:02 AM

    Don’t forget the dog shite ! I was on killiney beach one day last summer , everywhere you looked it was there and the sand flies made it impossible to stay there .

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    Mute dstaffx
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    Apr 5th 2016, 8:11 AM

    @marg. Your right, that’s why I was sure to say “some people” in my comment. We arrived at a break at 6pm one evening for a walk with the kids. We walk for 30 seconds, looked up and down and decided to leave. The place was trashed.

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    Mute Jamie Brogan
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    Apr 5th 2016, 2:25 PM

    I second the notion that Ireland has improved a great deal in regards to litter. I was born in Sligo in 85, left for Canada in 88, but came back each successive summer. When I was a kid I was appalled by how dirty Ireland was in general when it came to litter in the streets. My father would always remark about how clean Canada and Toronto were in contrast. Fast forward to the last 10-15 years or so, Ireland looks (compared to say, Toronto/Canada) cleaner than ever. I’d say Ireland is quite a bit cleaner and freer of litter than Canada now, and I can only see it getting better.

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    Mute Tom Collins
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    Apr 5th 2016, 2:25 PM

    It does not take a genius to see that the beaches that are not blue or green are all in areas around our major ports and urban cities and towns. Shipping and human pollution must be heavy in these areas.
    Limerick seems to avoid this though. Would be interested in how the mouth of the Shannon avoids pollution

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    Mute Steve McMahon
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    Apr 5th 2016, 6:58 AM

    All well and good .. Pity we don’t get the weather to enjoy them

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    Mute Anto Curran
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    Apr 5th 2016, 8:13 AM

    Grand stretch though

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    Mute mickmc
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    Apr 5th 2016, 7:00 AM

    I can see the water temperature being a bigger reason why I’ll be staying out of the sea in Ireland.

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    Mute brian magee
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    Apr 5th 2016, 7:12 AM

    In fairness to the council, They have tried to build a WWTP in rush but locals keep blocking it. A comprise needs to be made .

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    Mute John Weldon
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    Apr 5th 2016, 9:13 AM

    Where was this WWTP that was blocked by the locals in Rush Brian?? The treatment plant is already built over in Donabate, Rush just isn’t connected to it yet, it’s still at the tendering stage.

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    Mute John Joseph McDermott
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    Apr 5th 2016, 8:13 AM

    begs the question why-if the water quality is so good- that this government introduced (tried to introduce) new taxes of an average of 1500 Euros per family per year (regardless of income or ability to pay) telling us that it was essential to ensure the treatment of water discharge.
    Seems to me that it is piggeries and farmers who cause most of the pollution and many of these have their own wells or cheap private water schemes and they will not have to pay a penny towards improving water standards.
    I note in recent discussions on the Irish Water debacle that there is increasing jealousy among the “one off” Mcmansion owners in rural Ireland (who pay little or no property tax) that urban residents are resisting this rotten and inequitable form of taxation which the Blueshirts are still determined to foist on the people.
    Property tax should be based on the size of one’s residence- as it is in all other European countries.

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    Mute brian magee
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    Apr 5th 2016, 8:54 AM

    What charges are they?

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    Mute Frank Carty
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    Apr 5th 2016, 10:24 AM

    Irish water are not charging 1500 a year.
    Also, look at the map. The greater the population, the poorer the water quality, so go figure.

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    Mute Colette Kearns
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    Apr 5th 2016, 6:23 AM

    “Specify notifications from the local council” Not iw then!

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    Mute Tomás Ó Caomhánach
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    Apr 5th 2016, 11:41 AM

    What about the beaches in the North East of our country ?

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    Mute Padraig Piarais Mac AnTsaoir
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    Apr 5th 2016, 11:59 AM

    Yes, this is described as a ‘Water quality map of Ireland’, yet ignores 2/3 of Ulster?

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    Mute D walsh
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    Apr 5th 2016, 4:53 PM

    Pointless stats. Measuring when the water is too cold for the bacteria to really multiply. Wait for the summer months and then see which beaches pass the water quality test.

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