Kerry’s beaches still being monitored after wet summer reveals ‘elevated’ E.coli results

Kerry County Council is continuing to monitor beaches where samples showed higher than acceptable levels of E.coli in the water during the summer.

Several of the county’s 15 blue flag beaches had ‘significantly elevated’ results after periods of exceptionally heavy rainfall in June and July, according to the council.

The beaches included Ballinskelligs, Derrynane, Inny Strand, Waterville, and White Strand, Caherciveen. However, the water had returned to good, or excellent, standard by Jul 5.

Other beaches where guidelines levels for water quality were exceeded because of E.coli contamination included Ballybunion, Banna and Ventry.

Similar contamination, exceeding mandatory EU levels, in important beaches in Co Cork received wide publicity last month, with information being provided by Cork County Council to the public, through the media.

Media statements were not issued by Kerry County Council, but information about some affected beaches and the results of water tests in individual beaches were posted on its website.

Contacted by the Irish Examiner yesterday, a council spokesman said they had done everything they were obliged to do in relation to informing the public.

Notices were placed on beaches and, in two instances in Ballinskelligs Beach, in late August, red flags were put up and the HSE informed, he said. “Because of the bad weather, there were very few people on the beaches, in any case, and the situation improved again in a few days.”

The issue was raised by Independent Kerry councillor Johnny Healy-Rae, at Monday’s meeting.

Mentioning the closure of some beaches in Co Cork, in August, he asked if the council had any knowledge of E.coli in Kerry beaches and what was being done about it as any such problem would “be detrimental to our tourism”.

The council confirmed problems were caused by surface water run-off following periods of extremely high rainfall, leading to significantly higher coliform levels than in previous years.

The bacteria, which can come from animal and human waste, can serious food poisoning.

Meanwhile, the council, which is facing cutbacks of €1.3m because of a deficit in household charge payments, expects to save €65,000 in its maintenance budget because of the decline in beach usage and other amenities due to bad weather.