‘Do not swim’ notice for Portmarnock’s Velvet Strand after heavy rainfall
A ‘Do Not Swim’ notice has been issued for Velvet Strand in Portmarnock after water from a wastewater pumping station overflowed onto the beach yesterday.
Fingal County Council issued the warning for anyone looking to swim in the area for the next five days.
The council said it has consulted with the HSE and detected poor quality in the beach water after the overflow caused by heavy rainfall this week.
The beach will remain open during this time, but visitors have been asked to abstain from swimming until notified otherwise.
“Respect the ‘Do Not Swim’ notice as it has been put in place to ensure that the health of bathers is not compromised,” the council notice said.
According to the council’s water quality monitoring rules, bathing waters are sampled regularly.
“After a heavy rainfall event it is important to avoid contact with the water for at least 48 hours to prevent the risk of getting a recreational water illness,” it said.
For pollution events, water samples are investigated if there are a number of reports of visible pollution, like a pipe discharging water with foul smelling or discoloured water, or if visible sewage waste can be seen floating in the water.
“Wastewater infrastructure is monitored, and mechanical or electrical failures would show up on alarms and are acted on to protect bather health,” the council said.
“For example, temporary prohibition notices that say ‘Do not swim’ are erected.
“The lifting of notices requires a sample to be taken to confirm that the pollution event has ended and water quality levels must meet at least ‘sufficient’ status results.”
The council has said that a new sample will be arranged at the end of the five-day period to see if the water is safe for swimming again.
If the new sample tests ‘poor’, the prohibition notice will be extended and a red flag will be raised until results show a return to normal water quality.