The Environmental Protection Agency has once again advised the public to avoid swimming in Lady’s Bay in Buncrana.
The area has been given a ‘Poor’ water quality status for the fourth year in a row due to bacteriological results.
Eleven of Donegal’s twelve monitored bathing areas have achieved ‘Good’ and ‘Excellent’ ratings for 2024.
Those classified as having excellent bathing water quality include Magheraroarty, Marble Hill, Murvagh, Naran, Portarthur (Derrybeg), Portsalon, Rossnowlagh, and Stroove.
Other beaches found to have good bathing water quality in 2024 were Lisfannon, Portnablagh, and Rathmullan.
Donegal has 12 Blue Flag beaches at Bundoran; Carrickfinn; Culdaff; Downings; Fintra; Killahoey; Marble Hill; Murvagh; Narin; Portsalon; Rossnowlagh and Shroove.
Image: EPA
In the case of Lady’s Bay, Donegal County Council reported that the main sources of pollution affecting the water are Buncrana Wastewater Treatment plant, combined stormwater overflows and surface run off.
“As is common with most pollution sources, these are all made worse by heavy rainfall,” said the notice on Beaches.ie.
Uisce Éireann began upgrade works at Westbrook pumping station and the sewer network in 2023. Westbrook pumping station is constructed, operational and fully commissioned in February 2025.
Construction and commissioning of a new larger capacity storm tank at Buncrana Wastewater Treatment plant is underway with a scheduled completion date of Q3 2025.
“These works, when complete, will reduce the risk of overflows and flooding during heavy rainfall, which in turn will help towards improving the bathing water quality at Lady’s Bay, Buncrana.”
The EPA says that bathing water quality in 2024 was high overall, with 96 per cent of sites nationwide (145 of 151) meeting or exceeding the minimum standard, an increase of two from 2023.
Discharges from wastewater overflows, contamination from dog fouling and foul drain misconnections are the main issues at beaches that have achieved low quality ratings.
Click here to view the Bathing Water Quality in Ireland report for 2024
