Youghal’s Front Strand facing more swim warnings

Youghal’s Front Strand looks set to face another summer of swim warnings in 2016.
Cork County Council’s environment department has revealed the Front Strand has an anticipated bathing water status of ‘poor’ for 2016.
The status is based on water testing results for 2012-15, under EU requirements for a four-year average.
Very poor E.coli results were recorded for the 2012 season and raised E.coli results in 2011, 2013, and 2014 at Front Strand.
This means that the council will be either forced to close the beach or erect signs warning people against swimming next summer.
The Front Strand has lost its Blue Flag status in recent years, primarily due to lack of a waste water treatment plant in the town.
The town has been crying out for a waste water treatment plant to end the practice of pumping raw sewage into Youghal harbour.
The The sewage discharges have been blamed for poor water quality at Front Strand beach.
environment director at County Hall, Sharon Corcoran, said: “The last results were poor for Youghal Front Strand and that is hugely problematic for what is coming down the track in April next year.”
A waste water treatment plant is currently being developed for the town but Irish Water has said it would take two years to complete.
Once in place, water quality testing should show a marked improvement from 2017 onwards.
Of the other 12 beaches identified as potential Blue Flag locations, the rest had water quality ratings of either sufficient, excellent, or good.
During the most recent bathing season, 232 samples were taken between June 1 and the end of September and only 11 were non-compliant for E.coli.