Muir announces results for Northern Ireland’s bathing waters
Date published:
DAERA Minister Andrew Muir has announced the 2025 bathing water classification results.
Following the expansion of the programme in May, with the incorporation of seven new sites, there are now a total of 33 identified sites. The classifications at these sites are based on the bacteriological standards and for our sites; 24 met the ‘excellent’ standards, a further five met the ‘Good’ standards, three are ‘Sufficient’ and only one bathing water failed to meet the minimum standard.
Announcing the results Minister Muir said: “I am glad to see many sites meeting the excellent standard but acknowledge there is still a lot more to do to improve water quality and achieve consistency and excellent performance across all sites. We have all seen the devastating scenes at Lough Neagh. I am therefore disappointed but sadly not surprised that Rea’s Wood in Lough Neagh failed to meet the minimum standards. The site was plagued with blue green algae for the third season and unfortunately there has been ‘advice against bathing’ at the site since July.”
In pointing out the wider implications of blue green algae, Muir said: “It is really concerning that the blue green algae in Lough Neagh has on occasions spread to our North Coast during the last three seasons. As recently as last week at Portstewart, my officials have had to issue ‘advice against bathing.’ I am glad to be able to announce that we have been able to lift the ‘advice against bathing’ at both Portstewart and Rea’s Wood. I want to thank our Bathing Water Operator partners who have worked with us in getting the messages out to the public quickly and consistently throughout the season."
The Minister also expressed his satisfaction in seeing an upgrade in class at three sites, including Ballyholme, which has underperformed for many years.
“It is encouraging to see that three sites have improved in classification this year: at Brompton, Cushendall and Ballyholme. At the first two sites, this improvement may be due to the increase in data available, but Ballyholme has been classified as ‘Good’ for the first time since this system was introduced in 2015,” he said.
The Minister also emphasised his ongoing commitment to this work saying: “I am committed to continuing to work with agencies and local councils in improving both water quality and the information and advice that we offer to the public through the Better Beaches Forum led by my officials.”
DAERA has also introduced a new interactive Bathing Water Quality Dashboard enabling the public to make more informed decisions about where and when to swim across Northern Ireland’s 33 bathing waters. The dashboard highlighted the water quality at each site via an interactive map and is available to fully explore at: NI Bathing Water Quality Dashboard.
“I am also about to launch a new Bathing Water Review and I want to seek the views of all stakeholders in how we further improve the advice my Department can give around water quality issues,” the Minister concluded.
The 2025 results for the 33 Identified Bathing Waters are as follows:
Excellent Quality
Ballycastle
Ballygally
Ballyhornan
Brown’s Bay
Carnlough
Castlerock
Cloughey
Cranfield
Crawfordsburn
Cushendall
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
Drain’s Bay
Waterfoot
Sufficient Quality
Donaghadee
Newcastle
Warrenpoint
Poor Quality
Rea’s Wood
The 2025 Bathing Water Compliance results are available from the DAERA website and nidirect website.
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.
- Comparing the 2025 with the 2024 classifications, the overall classification for 30 of the identified bathing waters remains unchanged. The remaining 3 sites all 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. The new sites have been classified on the basis of three years of data. Typically, classification is based on four years of results and up to 80 samples.
- 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.
- 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.
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