Blue flags for all beaches, vows council
They have promised to do everything in their power over the coming years to ensure that water quality all along the popular coastline improves even further, enhancing the region’s appeal as a top tourist destination as well as a great place to live.
In the past week, the county retained its Blue Flags in Counsellor’s Strand, Bunmahon and Clonea. Ardmore and Tramore missed out as to get Blue Flag status the water has to be of high quality over two consecutive test years.
But now Waterford County Council’s Pat McCarthy has said improvement works underway across the county should make it possible to get a clean bill of health for the entire county in the near future. It would be a huge boost to the already booming tourist industry along the county coastline.
“We welcome the three flags in the past few days,” Mr McCarthy said. “We are disappointed that we didn’t get two more. The tests were clear last year and we do hope to get them back very shortly.
“The two beaches in question are Ardmore and Tramore and I think the water quality in both of those, despite some local issues, is improving.
“We have received that for Ardmore and Tramore in the past, along with the other three beaches. We hope to get a clean bill of health this year and get the Blue Flag back for both of those in 2006.”
The Waterford region has six possible candidates for Blue Flag status, with Dunmore East also falling within the remit. And achieving the coveted status for every one of those is not impossible, he said. “If we do reach this target, we will be very happy both as a county council and for the people of Waterford.
“We’ve already begun the treatment works and collection system for Tramore and hopefully that will be up and running very shortly.”
With the peak tourist season underway, Tramore is booming. But the tourist industry, as well as the quality of life for all in the seaside town, will continue to suffer, until the long-promised sewage system improvement works are delivered.
Local councillor, Lola O’Sullivan, said while the scheme now underway will largely deal with the problems long-suffered by the people of Tramore, it’s a crying pity that storm overflow works were not included in the current scheme. Until they are completed, sewage will continue to flow in three areas during heavy bursts of rainfall.
“I’m disappointed but not surprised that Tramore did not achieve Blue Flag status this time around. Nobody will be surprised. It would have been a bit of a joke if we did get it, to be honest.
“Work is underway and just today, we have a large barge and a oil rig-looking vessel out in the bay digging. When the scheme is complete, the problems here will largely be dealt with.
“But it’s a crying pity that the storm overflow works were not included in the current scheme. The Minister was raving about the water quality when the Blue Flags were announced. It’s a pity that the same Minister would not put his hand in his pocket and provide the money for the entire scheme works while work is now underway. It would solve all of our problems.
“Tourism has suffered in Tramore and it will continue to do so, until this scheme is completed. It’s also been a thorn in the side of the residents here. Until the work is completed, we will still have sewage running down onto the pier and Newtown in bursts of heavy rainfall. It’s a pity to go three quarters of the way, not all the way.”
