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03/11/2009
NI Bathing Waters Quality Improves
The results from the annual monitoring programme of local bathing water quality have revealed good news about NI's coast.
Stormont Environment Minister Edwin Poots welcomed the report, which he said analyses the current state of 24 sites formally identified under the 1976 EC Bathing Waters Directive and revised with the programme since 1988.
A variety of bathing waters across NI are monitored including Benone, Co Londonderry, (pictured above by Brian McCalden).
Minister Poots 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."
These two beaches were Portrush Curran (East) Strand and Portballintrae (Salmon Rock).
The failure at Portrush East probably was due to a serious pollution incident, in which Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) is acting with a view to prosecution.
In the Portballintrae case, is believed to have been in relation to inadequacies in the local sewer network, which next year, is expected to end with improvements to the sewerage system to enable the transfer of wastewater to Bushmills Waste Water Treatment Works.
During the summer months, NIEA sampled waters searching for bacterial contamination and other indicators of pollution on 20 occasions at each location.
Some of the monitored bathing waters that passed the Directive are Castlerock, Ballycastle, Helens Bay, Newcastle and Cranfield (Nicholson's Strand).
"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," added the Minister.
In 2008, all but one of bathing waters achieved the mandatory standards of the Directive.
In that occasion, Ballyholme was the failed area, supposedly as a result of inadequacies in the local sewer network.
NI Water addressed this with a scheduled upgrade of the local sewerage system.
Minister Poots also highlighted new challenges that will come if wet summers continue - because unusually heavy rainfall cause unexpected flooding and this makes it difficult to maintain improvements in bathing water quality.
However, he said NI Water is investing huge quantities in sewerage system upgrades and also farmers are spending millions to improve slurry storage and handling systems.
"We have a wonderful coastline and great bathing waters which deserve high levels of protection," the Minister added.
(CL/BMcC)
Stormont Environment Minister Edwin Poots welcomed the report, which he said analyses the current state of 24 sites formally identified under the 1976 EC Bathing Waters Directive and revised with the programme since 1988.
A variety of bathing waters across NI are monitored including Benone, Co Londonderry, (pictured above by Brian McCalden).
Minister Poots 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."
These two beaches were Portrush Curran (East) Strand and Portballintrae (Salmon Rock).
The failure at Portrush East probably was due to a serious pollution incident, in which Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) is acting with a view to prosecution.
In the Portballintrae case, is believed to have been in relation to inadequacies in the local sewer network, which next year, is expected to end with improvements to the sewerage system to enable the transfer of wastewater to Bushmills Waste Water Treatment Works.
During the summer months, NIEA sampled waters searching for bacterial contamination and other indicators of pollution on 20 occasions at each location.
Some of the monitored bathing waters that passed the Directive are Castlerock, Ballycastle, Helens Bay, Newcastle and Cranfield (Nicholson's Strand).
"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," added the Minister.
In 2008, all but one of bathing waters achieved the mandatory standards of the Directive.
In that occasion, Ballyholme was the failed area, supposedly as a result of inadequacies in the local sewer network.
NI Water addressed this with a scheduled upgrade of the local sewerage system.
Minister Poots also highlighted new challenges that will come if wet summers continue - because unusually heavy rainfall cause unexpected flooding and this makes it difficult to maintain improvements in bathing water quality.
However, he said NI Water is investing huge quantities in sewerage system upgrades and also farmers are spending millions to improve slurry storage and handling systems.
"We have a wonderful coastline and great bathing waters which deserve high levels of protection," the Minister added.
(CL/BMcC)
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