Swimming bans for Brittas and six Dublin beaches

Swimming bans have been introduced at one of the east coast’s most popular beaches today and extended on six north Dublin beaches.

A three day swimming prohibition was put in place by Wicklow County Council at Brittas Bay south, today after water quality results were received.

Tests showed poor microbiological quality and the council has taken further tests on the water to see when swimming can resume.

The council warned that swimming in the sea may cause illness. In its submission of results to the Environmental Protection Agency the council said the cause may have been contamination from a natural event.

Meanwhile a swimming ban in place at 12 beaches in Fingal has been extended at six beaches into the weekend. However the ban has been lifted at six other beaches in the north Dublin county.

The beaches with the continuing bathing prohibition are: Balbriggan front beach, Skerries south Beach, Loughshinny beach, Rush south beach, Portrane beach (The Burrow) and Rush north beach.

The ban is due to “storm water overflow” and follows the failure of sewage pumping stations across the north of the county due to heavy rain over the bank holiday weekend.

Fingal County Council today issued results of bathing water samples which were taken on Tuesday showing poor water quality at the six beaches. It said bathing was restricted until further notice.

However newly issued test results on six Fingal beaches showied good or excellent quality water. Bathing an notices have been lifted at Balcarrick Beach Donabate, Malahide Beach, Portmarnock Beach, Burrow beach Sutton, Claremont Beach, Hampton Cove Balbriggan.

The council has taken repeat samples today and these results will be available on Saturday.

Dublin City Council has today removed a ban for Sandymount Strand which had been introduced because of elevated levels of bacteria in the water due to emergency sewage overflow. The quality of water at the beach has improved according to results received today.