Bathing water quality maintained, despite another wet summer

Environment Minister Edwin Poots today welcomed the results from the annual monitoring programme of local bathing water quality.

In Northern Ireland 24 sites are formally identified under the 1976 EC Bathing Waters Directive and the monitoring programme has been in place since 1988. The waters are sampled on 20 occasions during the summer months, by the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) for bacterial contamination and other indicators of pollution.

The Minister said: “I am encouraged that despite another wet summer, only two bathing waters failed to achieve the mandatory requirements for the EC’s Bathing Water Directive.

I am also encouraged that 11 of our 24 bathing waters met the guideline standards - an improvement on last year. This more stringent standard is a prerequisite for the coveted Blue Flag Award scheme.”

The Minister highlighted that continued wet summers will bring new challenges in the management of local bathing waters. He said: “Unusually heavy rainfall events continue to cause unexpected summertime flooding and this is making continued improvements in bathing water quality very difficult.

“However, NI Water is investing millions in sewerage system upgrades. Farmers are spending millions on improved slurry storage and handling systems. My Department will continue to press for the high standards of operation and maintenance so that we can all benefit from this huge investment. We have a wonderful coastline and great bathing waters which deserve high levels of protection.”

All but two of Northern Ireland’s 24 identified bathing waters passed the EC’s Bathing Water Directive.

Portrush Curran (East) Strand and Portballintrae (Salmon Rock) failed to meet the Directive’s requirements. The failure at Portrush East has been attributed to a serious pollution incident and NIEA is pursuing enforcement action with a view to prosecution.

The failure at Portballintrae is believed to be linked to inadequacies in the local sewer network. Improvements to the sewerage system to enable the transfer of wastewater to Bushmills Waste Water Treatment Works (WWTW) are scheduled for completion during 2010 and improvements to the WWTW in Bushmills are scheduled to be completed during 2011.

Notes to editors:

1. In Northern Ireland 24 sites are formally identified under the 1976 EC Bathing Waters Directive and a monitoring programme has been in place since 1988. The Directive aims to afford a certain level of health protection to bathers in waters where bathing is traditionally practised by a large number of people.
2. The waters are sampled on 20 occasions during the summer months, by the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) for bacterial contamination and other indicators of pollution. Results are circulated weekly to the coastal councils and published both locally and on the NIEA website.
3. The following bathing waters are monitored: Magilligan (Benone), Magilligan (Downhill), Castlerock, Portstewart, Portrush (Mill), Portrush (Curran), Portrush (Whiterocks), Portballintrae (Salmon Rock), Ballycastle, Waterfoot, Carnlough, Ballygalley, Brown’s Bay, Helen’s Bay, Crawfordsburn, Ballyholme, Groomsport, Millisle, Ballywalter, Tyrella, Murlough Co. Down, Newcastle, Cranfield (Nicholson’s Strand) and Cranfield Bay.
4. The overall 2009 results can also be be viewed  on the NIEA website
5. NIEA continues to prepare for full implementation of the 2006 revised EC Bathing Waters Directive. Regulations were made in June 2008 and the first classification in accordance with the revised Directive must be carried out by 2015.
6. The revised Directive lays down provisions for the monitoring and classification, the management of sites and the provision of information to the public on bathing water quality and factors affecting it. The main differences between the old and revised Directive are the new bacteriological standards and indicator species and the information provision requirements.
7. Classification will be based on a four year cycle. Compliance will be assessed and reported using the existing Directive 76/160/EEC until 2014 but will run in parallel with the revised Directive from 2012.
8. All media inquiries should be directed to the Department of the Environment Press Office on 028 9054 0003. Out of office hours please contact the duty press officer via pager number 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned