Date released: May 15, 2024
16 May 2024: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has today published the Bathing Water Quality in Ireland report for 2023 which shows that water quality at the majority of Ireland’s bathing waters was of a high standard. 77 per cent of bathing sites have 'Excellent’ water quality while 97 per cent meet the minimum standard.
Bathing water quality can be impacted by heavy rainfall. This results in waste water overflows and in runoff from agricultural lands and urban areas which can cause short-term deterioration in water quality. In 2023 urban waste water related incidents were the most frequently reported cause of beach closures. Run-off from agriculture, fouling from dogs left on the beach, wastewater from properties going to surface water drains rather than sewer (known as misconnections) and algal blooms also impacted on bathing waters.
Record rainfall levels in July and storms in August led to more beach closures in 2023 than in previous years. The rainfall events in 2023 highlighted the need to build climate resilience into the effective management of bathing waters.
Commenting on the report, Dr Eimear Cotter, Director of the EPA, Office of Evidence and Assessment, said:
“While our bathing water quality is generally very good overall, there is a need to build climate resilience into the management of bathing waters to reduce the risk of pollution following heavy rainfall. This needs action by all sectors including Uisce Éireann, local authorities, and agriculture to reduce overflows from urban waste water systems, and runoff from urban areas and agricultural land. While beach closures play an important role in protecting bathers’ health, local authorities need to improve their understanding of the pressures which can impact beaches in the context of changing rainfall patterns.”
The number of beaches classified as poor increased from three to five in 2023. These are Balbriggan Front Strand Beach, Lady’s Bay (Buncrana), Trá na mBan (An Spidéal), which were also poor in 2022, and Loughshinny and Sandymount beaches in Dublin. The relevant local authorities and Uisce Éireann have plans in place to improve water quality at these beaches. These must be fully implemented to make these beaches safe for swimming.
No new bathing water sites were identified in 2023, although monitoring continues at almost 80 beaches not formally identified. The EPA encourages swimmers to engage with local authorities to officially identify and manage additional bathing sites to protect bathers’ health.
Further information on bathing water quality and updates on monitoring results during the bathing water season (1st June to 15th September) is available at www.beaches.ie.
Swimmers should always check www.beaches.ie and the signage at the beach for the latest water quality information for their local bathing site.
The report Bathing Water Quality in Ireland 2023 is now available on the EPA website.
Further information: Emily Williamson, EPA Media Relations Office 053-9170770 (24 hours) or media@epa.ie
Notes to Editor
Throughout this summer, water quality information and details of any incidents affecting bathing waters will be displayed on the www.beaches.ie website.
The Bathing Water Quality in Ireland 2023 report, infographic and a map of the quality of Ireland’s Bathing water sites in 2023 are available on the EPA website.
In summary the key findings of the Bathing Water Quality in Ireland report for 2023 were:
Local Authority management plans have been put in place to address the sources of pollution at these beaches.
Bathing season: The designated bathing season in Ireland is from 1st June to 15th September.
Identified Bathing Waters: This is the legal term used for those beaches and lakes managed under the Bathing Water Regulations. Local authorities are responsible for identifying Bathing Waters within their area annually. The 148 identified bathing waters are either coastal or inland waters widely used by the public for bathing and are monitored, managed and assessed under the requirements of the 2008 Bathing Water Quality Regulations.
Classification: Bathing areas are classified in one of four categories namely ‘Excellent’, ‘Good’, ‘Sufficient’ or ‘Poor’. The minimum mandatory requirement is for ‘Sufficient’ quality. Any waters graded as ‘Poor’ require that management measures be put in place to identify and eliminate the sources of pollution.
Assessment: Bathing Waters are classified based on a statistical assessment of monitoring data over a four-year period.
Bathing at sites classified as having ‘Poor’ water quality: The fact that any bathing water has been classified as ‘Poor’ means that there is a risk of microbiological pollution being present which could potentially cause illness such as skin rashes or gastric upset. Under the Bathing Water Regulations, local authorities are required to put in place notifications for the entire bathing season advising the public against bathing. This could include a bathing prohibition if a serious pollution incident occurs.
Pollution incident: This is an incident that has the potential to cause the bathing water quality to deteriorate, for example when there is a stormwater overflow from a waste water treatment plant, or when sampling identifies pollution. A precautionary approach is taken when reporting incidents, meaning that not all incidents result in a deterioration in the bathing water quality. This approach is taken to protect bathers’ health. When a pollution incident occurs, local authorities apply a swimming restriction at the bathing water. The restriction stays in place until water sampling shows that the water quality has returned to normal.
Prior Warning: Prior Warnings (also known as ‘Short-Term Pollution’) are used in a precautionary approach to protect bathers’ health by advising the public of possible short-term pollution events which usually last for only a few days at most. These are used by many local authorities when heavy rainfall is forecast.
