A beach in Co Waterford was closed yesterday for several hours following a sewage leak. Lawlor's beach at Dunmore East was shut down while sewage was cleared from the slipway at the strand.
Senior engineer Pat McCarthy said the leak was caused by a blockage of a sewerage pipe connected to a pumping station close to public toilets near the strand. During the clean-up disinfectant was sprayed on public footpaths, the roadway and slipway leading to the strand.
Mr McCarthy said the beach was "closed as a precautionary measure" for the clean-up and reopened at lunchtime.
He rejected claims that the force of the pumping through the sewerage pipe resulted in a manhole bursting open. The county council's senior engineer said the the sewage lifted it open slightly but "it didn't burst into the air". None of the sewage got into the water, a council spokeswoman said.
A Dublin holidaymaker from Cabinteely, Tom Breen, said, "I don't think it was a particularly wise thing to do to reopen the beach."
He pointed out that at every high tide the beach is cleared and he suggested that the beach should have remained closed for the remainder of the day for the tide to clear it.
Mr McCarthy said people might suggest that but they were happy that the beach had been properly cleared and was safe.
The council's spokeswoman said Health Service Executive officials were at the scene and jointly inspected the affected area with council officials and were happy that the beach could reopen. The beach, a stretch of about 200m of sand, does not enjoy blue flag status.
