Bathing has been prohibited at six locations in Waterford due to a high bacteria count in the water.
Announcing the news on Facebook, Waterford Council wrote, “Bathing is currently prohibited until further notice at the following #Waterford locations due to high bacteria counts: Owenashad River (Lismore), Tramore Pier, Whiting Bay, Goat Island, Curragh & Woodstown beaches.
“Testing is ongoing – updates given in due course.”
Waterford has six places formally designated as bathing areas under national legislation. These are the major bathing areas of Ardmore, Bunmahon, Clonea, Dunmore Councillors’ Strand, Dunmore Main strand and Tramore. Additionally, there are twelve ‘medium size’ bathing areas: Woodstown, Guillamene, Newtown Cove, Ballyquin, Curragh, Goat Island, Annestown, Ballyvooney, Boatstrand, Kilfarrassey, Whiting Bay, and Stradbally Cove.
There are also eleven ‘small size’ areas: Abbeyside, Baile na nGall, Ballydowane, Ballinacourty, Ballyvoyle, Garrarus, Cuan Heilbhic, Kilmurrin Cove, Owenashad River, Seapark and Tramore Pier.
All of the above bathing areas are included in the council’s monitoring programme.
The water quality of the major bathing areas is tested every 2 weeks, the medium every 4 weeks and the small at least once during the season (June 1st to September 15th).
Waterford Council will issue an update about the water quality of the currently prohibited bathing areas on their website, which you can find here.
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