Bathing Water Quality Results
Bathing Water Quality
Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) tests the water at selected bathing beaches in Northern Ireland 20 times every year from 1 June until 15 September. In the Larne area these beaches are currently Carnlough, Ballygally and Browns Bay. The water is tested for amounts of harmful bacteria and depending on this, is given a pass rating of ‘Excellent’ or ‘Good’ or a fail rating of ‘Poor’. The ‘poor’ rating can sometimes happen after a period of heavy rainfall and then it is advisable not to bathe there for those few following days.
Seaside Award
In order to qualify for this Award, it is necessary for these beaches to pass several criteria. The most important is water quality. The overall water quality has to be ‘excellent’ or ‘good’ in the previous year. Since 2005, Carnlough, Ballygally and Brown’s Bay beaches have had an overall rating of either ‘excellent’ or ‘good’.
The other factors that matter for the Seaside Award are cleanliness of the beach (absence of litter), provision of information about the water quality and the beach and lastly, provision of toilets and car parking for visitors.
These beaches have achieved the Rural Seaside Award for 2012.
Bathing Water Profiles for Larne's Rural Seaside Award Beaches - Carnlough, Ballygally and Brown's Bay can be read here:-
http://www.doeni.gov.uk/niea/water-home/quality/bathingqualityni/bathing_water_profiles.htm
BeachNI.com is a definitive guide to beaches in Northern Ireland giving detailed information on each beach as well as beach related news, events and blogs.
