Sir, – Kilkee, Spanish Point, Lahinch, White Strand have all been temporarily closed to bathers/swimmers.
Clare Co Council has said that the recent heavy rainfall, which discharges into rivers and streams ends up being discharged into Atlantic waters causing faecal bacteria at the above locations which renders the water unsuitable for bathing, for the time-being, at least. I suggest that this is only part of the story.
A quick glance at the EPA and Irish Water websites list the following locations in Co Clare as places that are in need of urban wastewater renewal/upgrading: Kilkee, Liscannor, Ballyvaughan, Lahinch, Ennistymon, Kilrush and Clarecastle. These projects are no doubt at different stages of progress.
Clare was not the only western county to be subject to abnormal rainfall, recently. Are neighbouring coastal counties experiencing a similar water quality effect? Every coastal county in Ireland experiences rainfall land run-off, but that should in no way erode the urgency for Irish Water to expedite the upgrading/replacement of all malfunctioning treatment plants around the coast. – Yours, etc,
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DAVID HARRINGTON,
Wicklow.