Mobile-enabled website gives information on beaches and lakes

The Environmental Protection Agency has launched a new mobile-enabled website providing information about bathing water at most of Ireland's bathing sites.

The website is designed to allow people to access the information they need before a day out at the seaside, or lakeside. It is set up for mobile devices to allow visitors quick and easy access to a range of bathing information. Notably, it enables people to find out what the recent water quality has been like at their regular bathing location; if any swim restrictions are in place, what the weather is likely to be and, if beside the sea, what time the tide is due in.

In addition, the beaches.ie site provides information on available amenities, including access to beach wheelchairs and links to the popular ‘See it, Say it’ App to make it easy for people to report environmental incidents.

The website will be updated continually during the summer. The information on beaches.ie is based on local authority monitoring of water quality; Met Éireann weather forecasts and Marine Institute tidal information.

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“With schools closing and the summer in full swing, beaches.ie will provide people with the information they need when choosing which beach or inland bathing water site to visit during the long and hopefully warm summer,” said EPA programme manager Andy Fanning.

It was important that local authorities informed the general public when pollution occurred or is predicted at beaches, so water users could make an informed choice as to where and when to swim, he added. “The beaches.ie site is a valuable addition to information already provided on local authority websites and on beach notice boards about water quality data and information on bathing restrictions... The annual water quality rating for beaches is also available based on monitoring results for the past four bathing seasons.”

EPA senior scientist Peter Webster said almost three quarters of Irish beaches were classified as “excellent” by EU standards so people “should make use of these great natural resources”.

He urged anyone heading to the coast or to inland bathing sites to check out the water quality at the beaches.ie website and to sign up to their dedicated Twitter account, @EPABeaches, to receive alerts and updates.

The new website is replacing the SPLASH.epa.ie website, and has been set up to better serve mobile device users.