Bathing ban in place at four Dublin locations due to wastewater overflow

A temporary bathing water ban has been announced for several Dublin beaches following an overflow of wastewater at a number of water treatment facilities and pumping stations.

Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council said, having assessed the impact of the wastewater discharges in conjunction with the HSE, temporary bathing prohibition notices were being put in place with immediate effect at Seapoint, Sandycove and Forty Foot bathing areas, pending results from testing of water quality at these locations.

Sampling at the locations took place on Monday and results are due to be available by Thursday.

The overflows were caused by heavy rain on Sunday and Monday, which has since passed heralding the arrival of several days of sunny weather and high temperatures.

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The council said the bathing ban was a precautionary measure, and organisers of water-based sporting events should take note.

“There are no restrictions in relation to any other bathing areas along the DLR coast, and that includes Dún Laoghaire Harbour, but all bathing areas are being monitored and sampled as a precaution,” it added.

Earlier, a bathing prohibition notice was put in place at Dollymount beach on due to stormwater overflow from Ringsend wastewater treatment plant.

Irish Water said the overflow “operated in compliance with plant design and regulations, and was fully screened and settled”.

The bathing ban was announced following consultation with the HSE, and will remain in place pending water testing by Dublin City Council.

Irish Water noted bathing prohibitions were already in place for the entire 2019 bathing season at Sandymount and Merrion beaches due to general water quality issues, unrelated to the Ringsend plant.

According to Met Éireann, more rain fell in the first 12 days of June than in all of June and July last year. However, it said conditions would get progressively warmer.

There will be scattered showers on Tuesday, some of which could be heavy, but sunshine is forecast and temperatures should rise towards 23 degrees, according to the forecasters.

Temperatures on Wednesday are to range between 19 and 24 degrees in general, but conditions could be a bit cooler in the north and northwest due to breezy conditions.

The best of the weather is due to come on Thursday, which Met Éireann expects to be a “warm and sunny day for most of the country with highs of 20 to 27 degrees”. The highest chance of rain is to be along the southwest coast.

The warm conditions are due to carry through to Friday, with temperatures to range from 20 to 26 degrees and a chance of “the odd shower”.

The weather is expected to become “much fresher” on Saturday and there may well be a return for the “heavy and thundery” rain seen in recent days. Sunday will be a cooler day nationwide.

Heatwave

As people across Ireland debate putting away their umbrellas for a few days, France is bracing for a "potentially dangerous" heatwave that could see record temperatures for June.

Authorities in Paris are setting up “cool rooms” in municipal buildings, opening pools for late-night swimming and installing extra drinking fountains in response to the mercury being forecast to surpass 40 degrees.

The heatwave, which is also expected to engulf Spain, Germany, Switzerland and Belgium, is reviving memories in France of August 2003, when searing temperatures overwhelmed hospitals and caused the deaths of an estimated 15,000 people, most of whom were elderly.

The current record temperature in France for June stands at 41.5 degrees, registered near Narbonne in the south in June 2003.

“We could see temperatures in localised areas hit record highs,” Meteo France said. “This heatwave could be remarkable for how early it has come as well as its intensity.”

Relatively high humidity levels mean it will feel more like 47 degrees, the AccuWeather website said.

Farmers in France are worried about damage to crops and water restrictions, including for irrigation, are currently in place in a fifth of mainland France’s 96 administrative departments. The electricity grid is also expected to come under pressure as air conditioners and fans are called into action during the heatwave.