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Bathing water quality

Bathing waters are an important amenity, valuable for both their tourism and recreational potential. It is important that they are afforded the appropriate protections in accordance with legislation, including the European Union's Bathing Waters Directive.

www.beaches.ie - water quality and information for over 200 beaches

This site shares the latest information on water quality and other information at the moment you search for it for over 200 beaches. You can discover beaches near you, find out which beaches have safe water quality, check out tides and learn about beach amenities. You can be also be informed of swim restrictions and annual water quality ratings.

Protecting our Beaches

Bathing waters are an important amenity, valuable for both their tourism and recreational potential. It is important that they are afforded the appropriate protections in accordance with legislation, including the European Union's Bathing Waters Directive. The directive requires that water quality at all designated bathing waters meets stringent microbiological standards in order to protect the health of people who choose to bathe there.

The directive was transposed into Irish Law by the Bathing Water Quality Regulations 2008. Under the 2008 regulations, local authorities are required to identify bathing waters. Bathing waters are defined as surface waters where a large number of people bathe and where there is no permanent bathing prohibition. We review this annually.

Current bathing areas in County Clare

Information on areas already currently designated as bathing waters can be found at Bathing water quality for beaches and lakes in Ireland - Beaches.ie

Have your say in identifying bathing waters 2025

Local authorities must identify official bathing areas in their area every year so that they can be monitored for safety, water quality and their level of use.

To help with this process, Clare County Council are asking people who swim at beaches, lakes and rivers to tell them if they think they should maintain existing designated bathing waters designations or give a new official bathing area designation to areas that are commonly used for swimming, but not identified at the moment.

Under European and Irish law, Irish local authorities must identify bathing waters each year so that these areas can be monitored to ensure they meet stringent microbiological water quality standards. In some cases, the official bathing areas are also the areas where local authorities focus their resources providing lifeguards during the summer season. These laws also require that the local authority prepares detailed descriptions or profiles for each of the identified bathing water sites that describe not just the bathing area but also areas in the surface waters catchment area that could be a source of pollution. The profiles include an assessment on the risk of pollution and what action would be taken if pollution occurs.

Information on areas already currently designated as bathing waters can be found at Bathing water quality for beaches and lakes in Ireland - Beaches.ie

(External link)

If you are a regular swimmer and want to help your Council decide which bathing areas should be classified as such, it might be helpful to consider the following:
• How your swimming area has been used up to now;
• How many people use the site;
• What facilities exist at the site and how accessible it is;
• Any safety issues.

Local authorities are required under the Bathing Waters Directive and the Bathing Water Quality Regulations 2008 (SI No 79 of 2008) to identify bathing waters on an annual basis. The Directive requires that water quality at all designated bathing waters meets stringent microbiological standards in order to protect the health of people who choose to bathe there.


If you wish to propose your favourite beach/river etc as a new bathing water site or comment on an existing site please complete the form using the link below.

Public Participation - Identification of Bathing Waters 2025 | Clare County Council Community Engagement

Closing date for submissions to Clare County Council is 26/9/2025. For further information  or to make a written submission please contact 065-6846331 or email enviroff@clarecoco.ie

 

Rannpháirtíocht Phoiblí - Uiscí Snámha a Shainaithint 2025

Ní mór d’údaráis áitiúla láithreacha oifigiúla snámha a shainaithint ina limistéar gach bliain ionas gur féidir faireachán a dhéanamh ar na láithreacha sin maidir lena sábháilteacht, lena gcáilíocht uisce agus lena leibhéal úsáide.

D’fhonn cabhrú leis an bpróiseas sin, tá Comhairle Contae an Chláir ag iarraidh ar dhaoine a bhíonn ag snámh ag tránna, i lochanna nó in aibhneacha a chur in iúl di cé acu ba cheart di na hainmniúcháin reatha uiscí snámha a choinneáil i bhfeidhm nó ainmniúchán oifigiúil nua láthair shnámha a thabhairt do láithreacha a úsáidtear chun críocha snámha go minic agus nach bhfuil sainaitheanta mar láithreacha snámha faoi láthair.

Faoin dlí Eorpach agus faoi dhlí na hÉireann, ní mór d’údaráis áitiúla in Éirinn uiscí snámha a shainaithint gach bliain ionas gur féidir faireachán a dhéanamh ar na huiscí sin chun a chinntiú go gcomhlíonann siad dianchaighdeáin mhicribhitheolaíocha cháilíocht uisce. I gcásanna áirithe, is ionann na láithreacha oifigiúla snámha agus láithreacha a gcuireann údaráis áitiúla gardaí tarrthála ar fáil iontu le linn an tsamhraidh. Ceanglaítear leis na dlíthe sin freisin go n-ullmhóidh an t-údarás áitiúil cur síos nó próifílí mionsonraithe do gach ceann de na láithreacha sainaitheanta uisce snámha ina limistéar. Ní hé amháin go gcuirfidh an t-údarás áitiúil síos sna próifílí sin ar an láthair shnámha lena mbaineann, ach cuirfidh sé síos freisin ar aon limistéir i ndobharcheantar na n-uiscí dromchla a d’fhéadfadh a bheith ina bhfoinse truaillithe. Áirítear leis na próifílí chomh maith measúnacht ar an mbaol truaillithe agus ar an ngníomh a dhéanfaí dá dtiocfadh aon truailliú chun cinn.

Is féidir faisnéis faoi láithreacha atá ainmnithe cheana féin mar uiscí snámha a fháil ag Cáilíocht uisce snámha do thránna agus lochanna in Éirinn - Beaches.ie

Más rud é gur snámhaí rialta thú agus gur mhaith leat cabhrú leis an gComhairle áitiúil a chinneadh cé na láithreacha snámha ba cheart a rangú dá réir, d’fhéadfá cúnamh a thabhairt ach an méid seo a leanas a bhreithniú:

  • Cén dóigh ar baineadh úsáid as an láthair shnámha go dtí seo;
  • Cá mhéad duine a úsáideann an láthair;
  • Cé na saoráidí atá ar fáil ag an láthair agus cé chomh hinrochtana agus atá an láthair;
  • Aon saincheisteanna sábháilteachta.

Dá mba mhaith leat an trá/an abhainn, etc., is fearr leat a mholadh mar láthair nua uisce snámha nó dá mba mhaith leat trácht a dhéanamh ar láthair reatha, comhlánaigh ár bhfoirm trí úsáid a bhaint as an nasc thíos

Is é an 26/9/2025 an dáta deiridh a ghlacfar le haighneachtaí chuig Comhairle Contae an Chláir. Le haghaidh tuilleadh faisnéise, déan teagmháil le 065-6846331 nó enviroff@clarecoco.ie

Faoin Treoir um Uiscí Snámha agus faoi na Rialacháin um Cháilíocht Uisce Snámha, 2008 (I.R. Uimh. 79 de 2008), ceanglaítear ar údaráis áitiúla uiscí snámha a shainaithint ar bhonn bliantúil. Leis an Treoir, ceanglaítear go gcomhlíonfadh cáilíocht an uisce ag gach uisce ainmnithe snámha dianchaighdeáin mhicribhitheolaíocha chun sláinte na ndaoine a shnámhann iontu a chosaint.

Page last reviewed: 12/03/19

Content managed by: Roads, Environment and Water Services Department

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