Quality of water at NI beaches improves

The quality the water at Northern Ireland's beaches has improved over the last year, a new survey has revealed.

The Marine Conservation Society said that 8 out of 27 beaches in the province had met the necessary EU safety standards, compared with four in 2003.

However, Northern Ireland still has a high number of inadequate preliminary and primary sewage treatment facilities, and a diffuse pollution strategy that needs to be fully implemented.

It is hoped that a £505 million investment in wastewater infrastructure over the next three years will improve this.

More than 800 beaches in the UK were monitored for bathing water quality by the relevant authorities between May and September in 2003 (June to mid September in Scotland and Northern Ireland).

The MCS Good Beach Guide is one of four beach ‘award’ initiatives, but is the only award that focuses entirely on water quality standards and the risk of sewage pollution, rather than beach management.

(MB)