Heavy rain prompts ‘no swimming’ notices at three Cork beaches

Heavy rain in the past few days has forced Cork County Council to put up “no swimming” notices at three popular beaches in West Cork.

The move is precautionary, but it is likely that slurry washed off the land during the rain storms will have led to a major increase in e.coli bacteria getting into the bathing areas and exceeding EU permissible levels.

Bathing has been prohibited at the Warren, Owenahincha and Inchydoney beaches.

Officials from the local authority’s environment department took samples at the three locations yesterday to have them examined for e.coli which can lead to serious illness if swallowed by the young, the elderly, or those with weakened immune systems.

The test results should be known by tomorrow. The results will then be posted on www,splash.epa.ie and made available at the three beaches as well.

In recent years the council has been forced to temporarily close a number of beaches along the Cork coast due to excessive e.coli levels. EU laws have become stricter as well. The recent EU introduction of water quality testing averages over a four-year period sounded the death knell this year for bathing on Youghal’s Front Strand.

That beach had e.coli levels over the past four years which were deemed poor and as a result the county council had no choice under EU law but to close it to bathing for the entire tourism season up to September 15.

The council continues to monitor water purity at the Front Strand, despite the directive.

Youghal has suffered from slurry run-off into the bay from along the River Blackwater valley and from not having a proper sewage treatment plant.