No-swim notice for Carrowmore Beach ‘a disaster’ – Maxwell

THE accessibility of a popular West Mayo beach to swimmers has been branded as ‘a disaster’ by a local representative.
Louisburgh-based county councillor, Chris Maxwell, has expressed concern over an ongoing ‘no-swim’ notice at Carramore Beach which arose after a malfunction at Louisburgh Agglomeration Wastewater Treatment Plant.

The prohibition on swimming at the popular beach has been in place since July 11 and was expected to last between five to seven days.

Raising the issue at yesterday’s monthly meeting of Westport-Belmullet Municipal District, Cllr Maxwell called for the water treatment plant to be upgraded to cater to the growing population in the area and prevent such no-swim notices from occuring in the future.

Heather Gibbons, area engineer for the Westport-Belmullet Municipal District, said that samples taken from the beach indicate that the water was suitable for bathing.

She said that the no-swim notice would be officially lifted after the local treatment plant was fully operational again.
Yesterday evening (Monday, June) the temporary bathing prohibition notice was still live on beaches.ie, the website which displays water quality warnings at beaches around the county.

Reported swimming restrictions were also in place at nearby Old Head Beach,Silver Strand Beach, Tallaghbawn Beach, Carrowniskey Beach, Clare Island Beach and Cross Beach.

Dooega Beach, Dugort Beach in Achill also had reported restrictions, as did Portacloy Beach in Erris.

All except Carramore Beach had swim restrictions in place due to the ‘risk of deterioration in water quality due to expected heavy rainfall’.