To make you aware, I wrote this article at the end of 2022. I hope to draft an updated version for 2023 after considering the new bathing sites, public pressure on NIW and NIEA, and the updated water quality reports. However this article should give you a flavour of what is happening in NI, and it will be useful for comparing results from 2023.
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A trend has emerged since the beginning of 2020, and you may have been part of it, or perhaps you still are. Cold water swimming has become a popular hobby around the coast of Northern Ireland with groups appearing in coastal towns and villages with unique and entertaining names. Group members have been able to experience the health benefits of cold water immersion and becoming addicted to the rush of endorphins that follows.
If you are brave enough to take the plunge, whilst doing your best to block out the cold, have you ever wondered how good the water quality is? Harmful bacteria can appear from various sources, and in some cases can pose severe risks to human health. Fortunately, these pathogens are monitored by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) in Northern Ireland which recently released the overall classification of bathing sites for 2022. Sites that are classed as Bathing Waters are the only areas that are sampled, of which there are 26 sites in Northern Ireland (see map below).
Designated bathing water sites in Northern Ireland (Data Source: Open Data NI).
The results confirm that Northern Ireland has a very high standard of water quality. Out of the 26 sites, 21 were classed as ‘Excellent’. Samples are tested for Escherichia Coli (E-coli) and Intestinal Enterococci. As these bacteria originate from human and animal intestines, they are reliable indicators of raw sewage being discharged into the water nearby. For a sample to be classified as ‘Excellent’, it needs to be below two thresholds for coastal waters – 100 colony-forming units (CFU)/100ml for Intestinal Enterococci, and 200 cfu/100ml for Escherichia Coli.
It wasn’t all good news though, despite seeing an overall improvement from 2019, Ballyholme was classed as ‘Poor’, followed by Newcastle being classed as 'Sufficient'. When comparing Ballyholme and Crawfordsburn which are located adjacent to each other (Crawfordsburn was classed as ‘Excellent’), the difference in water quality is clear, with E-coli levels reaching 1800 cfu/100ml at Ballyholme in September - well above the 'Sufficient' threshold of 500 cfu/100ml.
The comparison of e-coli levels at Ballyholme and Crawfordsburn in Northern Ireland
We now know that sewage is presenting a problem to coastal waters, but how exactly does it enter the sea? The ability of wastewater infrastructure to deal with heavy rain is the determining factor. This is because older sewer systems collect sewage and rainwater together and have a limited capacity which can be exceeded during high amounts of rainfall. Therefore, to prevent sewage backing up into homes and buildings, outfalls called combined sewer overflows (CSOs) discharge excess untreated sewage into the sea or river. Combined with increasing rainfall from storms as result of climate change, and growing coastal populations resulting in more sewage, there is a serious challenge to protect our coastal waters.
So how are these sites currently being protected? Projects have been ongoing in Northern Ireland to upgrade infrastructure. For example, in County Down, projects by Northern Ireland Water are upgrading ageing wastewater infrastructure to reduce the amount of overspill from sewers. The existing pumping stations offer no storage capacity for stormwater and are being upgraded to deal with the increased demand in capacity. This work directly impacts the undesignated bathing site at Brompton Road in Bangor. Earlier in 2022, it was proposed this site became a designated bathing water, and with the expected improvements in the water quality as a result of the project, locals and users will hope this site will gain official status in the near future.
If you are a keen sea swimmer and wonder what you can do to help, there are a couple of things. Earlier in 2022, DAERA launched a public consultation on the current bathing sites. This gave the public and stakeholders the opportunity to submit applications for new bathing sites. The sites would be granted bathing status if they reach certain thresholds such as their level of use, safety and access to provisions such as parking. So monitor websites and channels to make sure you are aware of any future consultations, as participation is vital and ensures your views are considered.
It is important to report any sewage discharge to your environmental regulator. In the case for Northern Ireland, this is DAERA, and can be reported via their 24/7 hotline 0800 807 060 or via email at emergency-pollution@daera-ni.gov.uk. DAERA can then investigate the source. Pollution from sewage will often look like a grey discolouring depending on the concentration of contamination and will likely appear after rainfall. It is also wise to learn about any outfalls that are present near your bathing areas.
Despite challenges from increasing rainfall and aging infrastructure, Northern Ireland bathing waters are performing well, demonstrated by the results mentioned above. However, the bathing season currently runs from June to mid-September and sampling takes place during this period only. Perhaps due to bathing becoming more popular outside the summer months, the monitoring period should be extended to all year round. After all, the wettest season is excluded from the results which would give a better insight to pollution levels at bathing sites.
With the increasing popularity of sea swimming around the coast in Northern Ireland, it is vital designated bathing waters are protected, maintained and improved. Furthermore, it is important users are fully aware of the quality of the water they are swimming in and understand the pressures upon water quality.
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