BATHING water quality at two popular local sea swimming spots was deemed to be only ‘sufficient’ during the 2024 season.
Last week, the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) confirmed that both Newcastle and Warrenpoint’s Sandy Bottom had been included in the third-tier category, which is behind ‘excellent’ and ‘good’ and above only ‘poor’, for this year.
Newcastle is one of 26 identified bathing waters in Northern Ireland, of which 22 – including Ballyhornan, Cranfield, Kilclief, Murlough and Tyrella – were classified as ‘excellent’.
Sandy Bottom is one of seven candidate bathing waters – it is only in its second year of classification – of which only one was deemed to be ‘excellent’.
A DAERA statement highlighted that the bathing season runs from 1 June to 15 September annually, and that, during this period earlier this year, 20 samples were collected at ‘each identified bathing water for faecal indicator organisms’ – namely bacteria levels (E. coli and intestinal enterococci) present in 100ml of water – and analysed for classification purposes.
‘Individual sample results below 250 E. coli and 100 intestinal enterococci are typical of an “excellent” classification,’ the DAERA website details.
‘Results above these values and up to 500 E. coli and 200 intestinal enterococci are typical of a “good” or “sufficient” classification.’
On 15 August, Newcastle’s E. Coli level was recorded as 720 and the intestinal enterococci level was 210.
Eight days later, these figures respectively jumped to 5,200 and 2,000.
This correlates with temporary advice being issued against bathing in Newcastle at that point in the summer.
On 28 August, the E. Coli level in Newcastle dropped to 120 and the intestinal enterococci level was 27.
The same month also saw high readings for Sandy Bottom – an E. Coli level of 290 and an intestinal enterococci level of 170 on 5 August.
Ten days later, the respective figures were 240 and 260.
DAERA Minister Andrew Muir said that, considering “the wet summer and poor weather”, it was “very encouraging to see so many of Northern Ireland’s bathing waters maintaining high standards for water quality”.
“The addition of another year’s data has improved the classifications at some of the candidate sites,” he added.
“However, a full set of four years is required to classify these with confidence.”
The minister concluded: “Our bathing waters are a huge asset to Northern Ireland, valued by locals and visitors alike, and my department will continue to work with the agriculture sector, NI Water and bathing water operators to manage risks to water quality and strive for improvements.”
In September, a report published by the Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) criticised Stormont for not fully implementing laws to protect water quality in lakes, rivers and coastal waters.
The document also made specific recommendations ‘designed to increase the prospects of protecting and improving the water environment’ to DAERA, the Northern Ireland Environment Agency and the Department for Infrastructure.
At that time, South Down MLA Andrew McMurray (Alliance) said that it was “incredibly alarming to hear that NI Water has been discharging sewerage into coastal bathing waters”, and that he was “dismayed to hear that Newcastle bathing waters are among the worst affected in Northern Ireland”.
“The high levels of toxic bacteria found in Newcastle bathing waters in August are very concerning,” he stated.
“This problem is likely to get worse over the coming months as rainfall increases and, with it, the likelihood of discharges.”
The MLA added that the OEP report had highlighted “the damaging impact of our overstretched and underfunded wastewater infrastructure”.
His party colleague, Mournes councillor Jill Truesdale, voiced her belief that there should be “all-year-round water monitoring of bathing sites”.
“NI’s wastewater infrastructure and water monitoring systems need urgent investment,” she said.
“The current system in place to monitor water quality does not provide daily up-to-date data that everyday swimmers require to make sure they are safe to swim.
“The figures we can access from the water quality monitoring site are running at least two weeks behind, which is not good enough.”