DAERA announces the 2026 bathing water classifications
Date published:
DAERA today announced results for Northern Ireland’s bathing waters, with 25 of the 33 identified bathing waters achieving the Excellent standard.
Speaking earlier today, Minister Muir said: “At a time when there is rightly considerable concern about water quality, I am delighted to announce that 25 of our 33 bathing waters have achieved the Excellent standard. It is also encouraging that an additional site, Drain’s Bay, has moved from a ‘Good’ in 2025 to ‘Excellent’ in 2026. This is the highest number of sites at Excellent that we have ever recorded.”
There is a total of 33 identified bathing waters in Northern Ireland, 32 coastal and one inland. The classifications at bathing sites are based on bacteriological results over a four-year period. The results are then classified as Excellent, Good, Sufficient or Poor. In 2026, 25 sites have met the ‘Excellent’ standard, a further four have met the ‘Good’ standard, three are classified as ‘Sufficient’ and one site at Rea’s Wood, Antrim has failed to meet the minimum standard for the second consecutive year.
Acknowledging the ongoing challenges at Rea’s Wood, including the presence of blue-green algae and the advice against bathing throughout the 2026 season, the Minister added: “While today’s overall results are positive, the continued situation at Rea’s Wood is extremely concerning. It is a clear reminder that significant challenges remain, particularly at Lough Neagh.
“Every day I am striving to tackle pollution and improve water quality across Northern Ireland. Whether it’s new legislation to strengthen fines and penalties to better hold polluters to account, seeking to end the by-ball afforded to NI Water, making a special designation for Inner Belfast Lough shellfish water protected area and seeking to introduce new Nutrients Action Programme regulations to tackle pollution from agricultural sources. Leadership from others to back the difficult decisions required is essential.”
Alongside continued sampling, monitoring and investigative catchment work to improve water quality, the Department is further developing the Bathing Water Quality Dashboard to ensure timely clear information for the public.
Minister Muir said: “It is critical that the public has the best information possible in making decisions on where and when to bathe or do water sports. We have been delighted with the feedback received on our one-stop-shop Bathing Water Dashboard and will continue to work with the Better Beaches Forum led by my Department, in further improving this.”
He added: “I am also keen to improve our predictive capability on bathing water quality. My department and NI Water are developing an Event Duration Monitors Viewer for bathing waters, initially to be piloted at Ballyholme and Newcastle, using near real-time data to show storm overflow activity. Subject to successful testing, a public-facing platform is expected ahead of the 2027 bathing season. I am hopeful we can use the pilot for much wider roll out at much more sites in the future.”
Northern Ireland Water has 2,433 storm overflows, with 800 Event Duration Monitors (EDMs) installed to date across their wastewater network, which prioritise bathing waters, shellfish waters, Lough Neagh and other sensitive waters.
Speaking in the wider context, Minister Muir talked of his vision for the bathing water programme in the future: “The bathing water programme is something that I have been passionate about since before I came into this Ministerial post. That is why I commissioned a review of how we run this programme to better reflect how the public is using our waters for outdoor recreation. We are currently considering the findings of the consultation and will be announcing way forward next month. My vision is that the public can make informed choices underpinned by sound, accessible evidence, at as many of the most popular sites as is possible.”
The 2026 results for the 33 identified bathing waters are as follows:
Excellent Quality
Ballycastle
Ballygally
Ballyhornan
Brown’s Bay
Carnlough
Castlerock
Cloughey
Cranfield
Crawfordsburn
Cushendall
Drain’s Bay
Groomsport
Helen’s Bay
Kilclief
Magilligan Benone
Magilligan Downhill
Millisle
Murlough
Portballintrae Salmon Rock
Portmuck
Portrush Curran
Portrush Mill
Portrush Whiterocks
Portstewart
Tyrella
Good Quality
Ballyholme
Ballywalter
Brompton
Waterfoot
Sufficient Quality
Donaghadee
Newcastle
Warrenpoint
Poor Quality
Rea’s Wood
Notes to editors:
- Northern Ireland has 33 identified bathing waters which must meet stringent water quality standards set in The Quality of Bathing Water Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2008. The bathing season runs from 01 June until 15 September annually. In 2025, there were 20 samples collected at each identified bathing water for faecal indicator organisms during the season. Bathing water classifications are based on analysis of these sample results. In addition to monitoring faecal indicator organism levels via water sampling, visual assessments for the presence of blue green algae or scums as well as pollution incidents. Where there are concerns of risks to bathers’ health from a visual assessment, further assessment is made by taking water samples to establish levels in relation to agreed health guidelines for safe bathing. In the case of blue-green algae, DAERA has worked with the other relevant agencies to deliver an Interagency Blue Green Algae Monitoring Protocol and the alert levels therein are based on the World Health Organisation guidelines.
- Bathing Waters are classified as Excellent, Good, Sufficient or Poor (see above). This classification is based on a statistical assessment of Faecal Indicator Organism results from the last four years i.e. E. Coli. and Intestinal Enterococci.
- Comparing the 2026 with the 2025 classifications, the overall classification for 32 of the identified bathing waters remains unchanged. The remaining 1 site improved.
- Seven new sites were formally identified in 2025, completing the 2022-23 Review. The sites are at Cushendall, Drain’s Bay, Portmuck, Brompton Bay Bangor, Donaghadee, Warrenpoint and at Rea’s Wood, Lough Neagh.
- Rea’s Wood has been classified as ‘Poor’ for the second consecutive year and was closed throughout the 2026 bathing season due to its Poor classification in 2025. Blue-green algae has also been present at the site since 2025.
- The dashboard currently highlights the water quality at each bathing site via an interactive map and is available to fully explore at: NI Bathing Water Quality Dashboard.
- DAERA continues to work with NI Water to improve the water environment through targeted investment in improved sewage treatment and with the agriculture sector to administer a number of agri-environment incentive schemes. The Department will continue to work with all sectors towards identifying the source/s of pollution and finding solutions to that will improve bathing water quality.
- Heavy rainfall can have a temporary impact on bathing water quality by increasing the amount of pollution entering watercourses. Bathers are therefore advised to avoid bathing for 48 hours after significant rainfall.
- Follow DAERA on X formerly called Twitter and Facebook.
- All media queries should be directed to the DAERA Press Office: pressoffice.group@daera-ni.gov.uk or telephone: 028 9016 3460.
- The Executive Information Service operates an out of hours’ service for media enquiries only between 1800hrs and 0800hrs Monday to Friday and at weekends and public holidays. The duty press officer can be contacted on 028 9037 8110.