Bathing banned after sewage found in sea

One of Galway’s most popular beaches could be off-limits for swimmers for the rest of the summer because of sewage contamination fears.
Bathers were banned from Ballyloughane Beach three days this week as pollution in the sea water poses a serious threat to public health and safety.
Dangerously high levels of ecoli were discovered at Renmore prompting authorities to warn swimmers to stay out of the water.
Ballyloughane was declared a ‘red flag beach’, which warns beachgoers ‘Danger, bathing unsafe’. Galway City Council has also erected signs warning visitors: “Do not swim” because of pollution.
In its warning, the local authority blamed heavy rain on Monday for the contamination, and it hoped that the problem would be rectified in three days.
The ban was lifted on Thursday afternoon, but there are genuine fears the beach could be in lockdown again during the tourist season as the exact source of pollution is not yet known.
If further heavy rains come over the coming weeks it could cause further pollution problems, the Council conceded.
Long-time campaigner for Blue Flag status for Ballyloughane, Councillor Terry O’Flaherty has demanded a meeting with Irish Water CEO, John Tierney. The former city mayor wants to secure financial investment from Irish Water to solve the recurring pollution problem at Ballyloughane once and for all.
In April, Cllr O’Flaherty raised concerns about water quality at the beach, and was accused of being alarmist. But her worst fears materialised this week.
For more on this story, see the Galway City Tribune.