Swimming has been prohibited for the full bathing season at Sandymount Strand due to consistently poor water quality, while a temporary swimming ban remains in place at Dollymount Strand following a suspected sewage discharge.
The 2025 bathing season, which runs from 1 June to 15 September, has seen restrictions introduced to protect public health. Sandymount Strand will remain closed to swimmers throughout the season after water quality assessments conducted between 2021 and 2024 indicated persistent pollution levels unsuitable for bathing.
At Dollymount Strand, a temporary ban was implemented on Tuesday after water quality deteriorated. Authorities suspect the contamination originated from a discharge of sewage, potentially linked to a wastewater treatment plant or sewer network. Dublin City Council attributed this incident to recent heavy rainfall, which likely exacerbated the issue.
Officials expect the ban at Dollymount to be lifted by tomorrow, pending resampling of the water and approval from the Health Service Executive (HSE).
Deputy Lord Mayor and Green Party councillor Donna Cooney condemned the situation, describing the restrictions as “disgraceful at the start of the bathing season.”
Water quality at both locations is regularly monitored throughout the bathing season, with tests focusing on levels of E. coli and Intestinal Enterococci bacteria. Dublin City Council also carries out biweekly testing outside the official bathing season to ensure ongoing surveillance.