New Bathing Report claims runoff from agricultural lands & urban areas caused short-term deterioration in water quality.

A new EPA report into the quality of bathing water in this country has found that Heavy rainfall and associated wastewater overflows, and runoff from agricultural lands and urban areas, can cause short-term deterioration in water quality. The report says Localised intense rainfall, particularly in the West and North-West has led to bathing water restrictions (including beach closures) being introduced to protect bather health. 96 per cent of beaches here have a "sufficient" water quality rating according to the EPA. However Lady’s Bay (Buncrana) Co. Donegal and Sandymount beach in Dublin as ‘poor’ Locally in Sligo the beaches at Dunmoran, Enniscrone and Mullaghmore were found to have excellent quality of water during bathing season.  In Donegal a similar grade was afforded to the beaches at Bundoran, Carrickfinn and Fanad. The majority of the local beaches were found to have excellent water quality annually with the exception of Mullaghmore which was classed as ‘good’ annually.