Designated Bathing Waters: Public Participation

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• Designated Bathing Waters: Public Participation
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Under European and Irish law, County Councils are required to designate official bathing areas in their area every year so that they can be monitored for safety, water quality and their level of use.  The council is obliged to prepare detailed descriptions or profiles for each of the designated bathing areas 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 of the risk of pollution and what action would be taken in pollution happens.

To help with this process, Galway County Council are now asking people who swim at beaches, lakes and rivers to tell us if they think we should designate any new areas that are commonly used for swimming.

If you are a regular swimmer and want to help Galway County Council decide which bathing areas should be designated , 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.

If you wish to propose your favourite beach/river etc as a new bathing water site or comment on an existing site please contact the Environment Section at (091) 509510 or environment@galwaycoco.ie. Please see below a list of current designated bathing areas.