Calls for off-season water testing as E.coli found at popular Clare beach

Tests carried out at Lahinch beach between April and October

People out enjoying the Warm Weather at Lahinch, Co Clare on Monday. Photograph by Eamon Ward

Hundreds of cold water swimmers and surfers could be in danger of contracting harmful infections while swimming in one of Ireland’s most popular beaches this winter.

Independent tests of the water at Lahinch beach in County Clare have found the presence of E.coli and coliform bacteria during the traditional off-season, when Clare County Council does not monitor water quality.

The tests were carried out by the West Coast of Ireland Chapter of Surfrider Foundation Europe between April and October of this year.

Seven of these tests were conducted in the traditional off-season, when the local authority does not monitor the water quality. Traces of coliform bacteria were found in each of the seven off-season tests, while the presence of E.coli was found on three occasions, and Enterococci bacteria was found on one occasion.

Each of these forms of bacteria are potentially dangerous to beach users and can cause illness, ranging from simple gastroenteritis, to more complex and rare conditions such as Haemolytic Uraemic Syndrome, which can lead to kidney failure and even death.

Clare County Council and other local authorities throughout the country only monitor the quality of bathing areas during the traditional bathing season – which stretches from the beginning of June to the middle of September.

However, due to the growth of surfing and cold water swimming in recent years, thousands of people are continuing to use Irish bathing areas during the 37 weeks when the water is not tested.

Founder of the West Coast of Ireland Chapter of Surfrider Foundation Europe, Lexi Keating, has personal experience of the dangers of E.coli.

In August of 2018, her then two-year-old daughter suffered life-changing injuries as a result of an E.coli infection, after swimming at Lahinch Beach.

Her daughter, who is now seven, developed Haemolytic Uremic Syndrome and acute kidney failure and was given life-saving dialysis at the Temple Street Children’s Hospital.

While no definitive source of the E.coli poisoning was found, Ms Keating believes that year-round testing of bathing water would be an inexpensive way of protecting public health.

“The danger of having this elevated bacterial load on several days outside the normal bathing season is that people who are using the water are simply not aware that there is any danger to them,” she said.

“The mere presence of some of these bacteria can result in recreational users of the beach becoming sick. The test results showed a real spike in bacteria as early as April, and particularly in May.” The water tests also found the presence of coliform bacteria in Lahinch Beach in late September and again in October.

“This supports the argument that the council should extend its monitoring season, so that the public can make informed choices about whether they think it is safe to use the beach. The evidence is clear that there is an increased risk to people’s health outside of the normal monitoring season and people have the right to be able to make an informed choice,” she said.

A spokesperson for Clare County Council said that there are currently no plans to extend water testing beyond the traditional bathing season at Lahinch.

“The bathing season is defined in the regulation as the period from June 1 to September 15. Clare County Council is in compliance with the Bathing Water Quality Regulations for our designated bathing waters, and Clare holds eight Blue Flags and three Green Coast Flags along our coastal and inland waters,” said a spokesperson.

“At this time, there is no plan to increase the bathing water monitoring programme beyond the prescribed bathing season.”