Every beach in Northern Ireland passes pollution tests for the first time in three years

West Strand beach, Portrush, has been graded as excellent quality. (Picture: Discover Northern Ireland)West Strand beach, Portrush, has been graded as excellent quality. (Picture: Discover Northern Ireland)
West Strand beach, Portrush, has been graded as excellent quality. (Picture: Discover Northern Ireland)
All of Northern Ireland’s beaches have passed minimum water quality tests – the first time it’s happened since 2021.

And in what’s great news for sun-worshippers and sea swimmers, almost all of the coastal areas have been graded ‘excellent’, the highest mark possible.

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But the only inland swimming spot examined by Stormont, Rea’s Wood on the shore of Lough Neagh, failed due to the persistent blue-green algae problems hitting the site.

Figures released by the Department for Agriculture, the Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) show that every single one of the 26 coastal beaches regularly tested over the summer swimming season met minimum water standards.

DAERA minister Andrew Muir welcomed all 26 beaches reaching minimum water standards.DAERA minister Andrew Muir welcomed all 26 beaches reaching minimum water standards.
DAERA minister Andrew Muir welcomed all 26 beaches reaching minimum water standards.

That includes Ballyholme Bay in Bangor, which failed for the last two years in a row but now hits the lowest passing grade of ‘sufficient’.

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In total, 22 beaches were graded excellent, while two were good and two marked sufficient.

Six other beaches added to the testing regime on a experimental basis also passed; in their cases, one was excellent, two good and three sufficient.

A further experimental site, Rea’s Wood in County Antrim, was the sole failure.

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Rea's Wood on the County Antrim shore of Lough Neagh is the only inland swimming spot tested by DAERA, and failed because of the lough's recurring blue-green algae problems. (Picture: Discover Northern Ireland)Rea's Wood on the County Antrim shore of Lough Neagh is the only inland swimming spot tested by DAERA, and failed because of the lough's recurring blue-green algae problems. (Picture: Discover Northern Ireland)
Rea's Wood on the County Antrim shore of Lough Neagh is the only inland swimming spot tested by DAERA, and failed because of the lough's recurring blue-green algae problems. (Picture: Discover Northern Ireland)

The only inland swimming spot subject to testing, Rea’s Wood lies on the north-east shore of Lough Neagh.

Blue-green algae that coated the lough in July was found to be a risk to the health of swimmers, which resulted in authorities warning people off from bathing there – and caused the spot to fail pollution tests.

The large number of ‘excellent’ grades was welcomed by DAERA minister Andrew Muir, not least as that mark can be the first step to a beach winning a coveted Blue Flag Award.

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“Even with the wet summer and poor weather, it is very encouraging to see so many of Northern Ireland’s bathing waters maintaining high standards for water quality,” he said.

"The addition of another year’s data has improved the classifications at some of the [experimental] sites; however, a full set of four years [of tests] is required to classify these with confidence.”

The experimental beaches were added to the testing regime for the first time last year. Stormont is expected to decide whether or not to keep examining them in 2026.

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Turning to Rea’s Wood, the minister said that its failure is yet more evidence of the pressing need to clear up the lough’s algae problems.

“Unfortunately, as with 2023, this season was also dominated by coverage of the blue-green algae events in Lough Neagh, [which impacted] the site at Rea’s Wood.

"I am committed to tackling the issues; I have published an action plan to clean up Lough Neagh and have already delivered on a number of the commitments.

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"Part of this is to ensure clearer messaging to the public about the risks. This year, for the first time, we implemented an inter-agency monitoring protocol for blue-green algae that has helped inform and advise bathing water users.”

The 26 registered bathing waters and seven experimental sites are tested regularly between the start of June and mid-September every year.

DAERA checks levels of bacteria that could suggest the presence of faecal contamination, as well as assessing potential pollution incidents and algae build-up.

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