A number of Cork’s best known beaches remain closed to bathers today after dangerous levels of E.coli were found in the water.
Due to the heavy rainfall over the last two months, Cork County Council have advised that levels of E.coli at a number of Cork beaches have breached EU mandatory permitted values.
The Local Authority has banned swimming in blue flag beaches at Garretstown, Redbarn, and Garryvoe. Other impacted beaches include The Front Strand and Claycastle in Youghal, Coolmaine near Kilbrittain, and Oysterhaven.
The closures are a precautionary measure until the quality has been restored. The HSE and the Environmental Protection Agency have been contacted.
Youghal Councillor and County Mayor Barbara Murray says the system of water sampling needs to be changed.
“You don’t just do this on a Monday and decide you are not going to do it again until the following Monday, she said.
“So I would be suggesting that it would be done on a more regular basis and that the results be brought in as soon as possible. This is the livelihoods for a lot of people. Tourism is what it is all about here in Youghal. We need to get our beach up and going as soon as possible.”
Further inspections are to be carried out on the beaches tomorrow. Public notices are in place asking bathers not to swim in the effected beaches until further notice.
The European Union’s Bathing Water Directive sets the microbial standards for water quality at popular beaches and inland bathing sites that have been designated as bathing waters because they attract large numbers of bathers.