If you or your loved ones plan on diving into the sea over the summer months, then you might need to have a re-think about where to go.
A select number of beaches in Dublin, Donegal and Galway have been declared unsafe for swimming in, meaning that swimmers have now been advised not to enter the waters.
The Front Strand, Balbriggan, Co Dublin, the Lady’s Bay, Buncrana, Co Donegal, and Trá na mBan, An Spidéal, Co Galway have all failed water-quality tests.
During their inspections, it was discovered that these beaches have been polluted with wastewater from sewage systems. This has been caused by a multitude of factors, including leaks from farmlands, urban streets, or animal waste.
If swimmers were to enter the waters at these beaches, they could run the risk of developing a skin rash or an upset stomach.
These shocking results were found in the Environmental Protection Agency’s annual Bathing Water Quality Report. The locations were tested between June 1 and September 15 of last year.
While EPA was only able to test Ireland’s 148 official bathing areas, the report concluded that 97% of our national beaches met or exceeded the expected water quality standards.
In order to test more areas and address any potential concerns, the EPA has requested local authorities to declare more bathing areas as official ones, so that they can be included in the annual inspection report.
Overall, 117 beaches were classified as ‘excellent’ and 20 were given a ‘good’ status. Meanwhile, seven beaches in the east and southeast were labelled as ‘sufficient’, alongside the three spots in Dublin, Donegal and Galway that were found to be of ‘poor’ quality.
In terms of an action plan, the EPA has called on Uisce Éireann to improve their “maintenance of treatment plants and networks.”
The public can also play their part by disposing of dog litter properly, reporting pollution and asking their local authorities to name more official swimming areas.
