Bathing water quality

Northern Ireland’s bathing season begins on 1 June and ends on 15 September each year. The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) is responsible for monitoring and making sure that coastal waters are of high enough quality to bathe in.

Due to the ongoing COVID19 pandemic, DAERA Marine and Fisheries Division is considering the bathing water sampling programme for the 2021 bathing season.  Information will be updated regularly.

Water quality monitoring

Bathing water at 26 sites is monitored weekly from May to September and classified into one of four categories:

  • excellent
  • good
  • satisfactory
  • temporary advice issued against bathing 

2020 bathing water quality posters

Most recent results published in the 2020 season for bathing waters:

2020 bathing water compliance

Bathing water

Compliance level

Magilligan (Benone)

Excellent

Magilligan (Downhill)

Excellent

Castlerock

Excellent

Portstewart

Excellent

Portrush (Mill) West

Excellent

Portrush (Whiterocks)

Excellent

Portballintrae

Excellent

Helen’s Bay

Excellent

Crawfordsburn

Excellent

Groomsport

Excellent

Millisle

Excellent

Cloughey

Excellent

Tyrella

Excellent

Murlough Co Down

Excellent

Cranfield (Cranfield Bay)

Excellent

Kilclief

Excellent

Ballyhornan

Excellent

Portrush (Curran) East

Good

Ballycastle

Good

Browns Bay

Good

Ballygally

Good

Ballywalter

Good

Waterfoot

Sufficient

Carnlough

Sufficient

Ballyholme

Sufficient

Newcastle

Sufficient

Blue Flag beaches

Beaches with an excellent water quality compliance result may be eligible for the Blue Flag award. The award also looks at beach management and facilities such as:

  • litter collection
  • toilets
  • car parking
  • disability access
  • life-saving equipment

The award applies during the bathing season. In Northern Ireland the scheme is run by Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful, along with the Green Coast and Seaside Award schemes.

In 2020, six Blue Flag beaches and four Blue Flag Marinas in Northern Ireland, 12 Seaside Award beaches and one Green Coast beach were recognised.

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