Water quality at 16 NI beaches classified ‘excellent’ in report

NORTHERN Ireland continues to enjoy some of the best bathing water quality in Europe, a report has said.

Sixteen of our 26 designated bathing waters are classified as “excellent”.

They include Portstewart, Portrush Whiterocks and Castlerock.

A further six had a ‘good’ standard and the rest met the ‘sufficient’ standard. All 26 met the strict European standards for quality.

The figures are contained in a bulletin from the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA).

David Small, head of DAERA’s environment, marine and fisheries group, said: “This is a superb result for our beaches, especially given the changeable weather our coastline is often subject to, but more importantly, it’s good news for our holidaymakers and bathers, who can confidently enjoy our fabulous beaches.

“We take great pride in these results and know that maintaining them will take a sustained effort. We will continue to work to reduce water pollution to keep our bathing waters clean and safe.

“I am delighted to see that Ballyholme has moved from ‘poor’ to ‘sufficient’ for the first time since 2016. This is excellent news and is most likely the result of the extensive work we have carried out with NI Water, in both catchment improvements and on the sewerage infrastructure upgrades in Bangor.

“Our beaches are a priceless resource to tourism and to the health and well-being of our local communities and visitors alike. It is imperative that we continue to strive for the very highest of standards.”

The results were announced yesterday at the Better Beaches Forum in Lisburn, which works to improve water quality, improve beach cleanliness, manage facilities and keep the public better informed.