We monitor bathing water quality. Water Quality Inspectors collect the water samples on behalf of the NIEA. The samples are then analysed by the Water Management Unit, Lisburn.
The 2009 bathing season in Northern Ireland commenced on the 1st of June 2009. The season runs from June through to mid-September and water quality is assessed on 20 occasions during this period.
Bathing Water Quality is updated weekly during the bathing season and represented in the format of colour-coded posters. The 2009 Bathing Water Quality posters can be viewed below:
2009 Northern Ireland (North Coast) Bathing Water Quality Poster (.PDF 74Kb)
2009 Northern Ireland (Antrim Coast) Bathing Water Quality Poster (.PDF 67Kb)
2009 Northern Ireland (North Down) Bathing Water Quality Poster (.PDF 70Kb)
2009 Northern Ireland (South Down) Bathing Water Quality Poster (.PDF 68Kb)
The 2008 Bathing Water Quality Posters can be viewed below:
2008 Northern Ireland (North Coast) Bathing Water Quality Poster(.PDF 84Kb)
2008 Northern Ireland (Antrim Coast) Bathing Water Quality Poster(.PDF 74Kb)
2008 Northern Ireland (North Down) Bathing Water Quality Poster(.PDF 77Kb)
2008 Northern Ireland (South Down) Bathing Water Quality Poster(.PDF 75Kb)
A summary of the details of this compliance is given in the table below. The data supporting this compliance assessment has been published on our website.
| Identified Bathing Water | 2008 EC Bathing Water Directive Compliance |
| Magilligan (Benone) | excellent |
| Magilligan (Downhill) | good |
| Castlerock | good |
| Portstewart | excellent |
| Portrush (Mill) West | good |
| Portrush (Curran) East | good |
| Portrush (Whiterocks) | excellent |
| Portballintrae (Salmon Rock) | good |
| Ballycastle | good |
| Waterfoot | excellent |
| Carnlough | good |
| Ballygalley | good |
| Brown's Bay | good |
| Helen's Bay | excellent |
| Crawfordsburn | good |
| Ballyholme | poor |
| Groomsport | excellent |
| Millisle | good |
| Ballywalter | good |
| Tyrella | excellent |
| Murlough Co. Down | excellent |
| Newcastle Co. Down | good |
| Cranfield (Nicholson's Strand) | excellent |
| Cranfield | excellent |