Tens of thousands of people have been enjoying a dip at Ireland’s pristine lakes, rivers and beaches during the recent sunny weather.  What most swimmers don’t know is that City and County Councils must designate official bathing areas in their area every year so that they can be monitored for safety, water quality and their level of use. To help us with this process, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council are now asking people who swim at beaches, lakes and rivers within the County to tell us if they think we should maintain existing designations or give a new official bathing area designation to areas that are commonly used for swimming but not designated as such at the moment.

Under European and Irish law, these bathing areas must be monitored to ensure they meet stringent microbiological water quality standards. In some cases these official bathing areas are also the areas where Councils focus their resources during the summer season.  Councils are also required to prepare detailed profiles for each of the designated bathing water sites that describe not just the bathing area itself but also areas in the surface waters catchment area that could be a possible source of pollution, and what action would be taken if any pollution occurs.

If you are a regular swimmer and want to help us decide which bathing areas should be designated for 2016, it might be helpful to consider the following:

     -How your swimming area has been used up to now

     -How many people use the site

     -What facilities exist at the site and how accessible it is

     -Any safety issues

Submissions in relation to the identification of bathing waters can be made:

Online: Through our Consultation Hub – https://dlrcoco.citizenspace.com/

By Post to:

Beaches Section

Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council

County Hall

Marine Road

Dún Laoghaire

Co. Dublin

By Email to: beaches@dlrcoco.ie

Closing date for submissions is 28th July 2015. For further information please contact our beaches Section on 01 2054817 or environ@dlrcoco.ie