Wastewater loses beach Blue Flag

Outflow from a waste water treatment plant has affected water quality at a beach that has lost its Blue Flag status.


Killiney Beach in Co Dublin lost its Blue Flag yesterday and the council blamed outflow from a water treatment plant and heavy rain for polluting the seaside.

Blue Flag is a voluntary scheme which awards recognition to beaches and marinas in 37 countries if they meet criteria for bathing water quality, including an absence of industrial or sewage related discharge.

As well as water quality, the beach must meet certain environmental management, safety and services and environmental education and information standards.

But it could be two years before Killiney Beach recovers its Blue Flag – a valuable tourist indicator of cleanliness.

A spokesman for Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council told the Independent that it would be two-and-a-half years before improvements to the Shenganagh Waste Water treatment Plant were completed.

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