Bathing Waters

Downhill Beach

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)Opens in new window.

2009 Northern Ireland (Antrim Coast) Bathing Water Quality Poster (.PDF 67Kb)Opens in new window.

2009 Northern Ireland (North Down) Bathing Water Quality Poster (.PDF 70Kb)Opens in new window.

2009 Northern Ireland (South Down) Bathing Water Quality Poster (.PDF 68Kb)Opens in new window.

2008 Bathing Water Quality Posters

The 2008 Bathing Water Quality Posters can be viewed below:

2008 Northern Ireland (North Coast) Bathing Water Quality Poster(.PDF 84Kb)Opens in new window.

2008 Northern Ireland (Antrim Coast) Bathing Water Quality Poster(.PDF 74Kb)Opens in new window.

2008 Northern Ireland (North Down) Bathing Water Quality Poster(.PDF 77Kb)Opens in new window.

2008 Northern Ireland (South Down) Bathing Water Quality Poster(.PDF 75Kb)Opens in new window.

2008 EC Bathing Water Directive Compliance

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