|
Blue Flag for Portmarnock
in 2013?
New Criteria and standards are going to make it difficult for beaches
to reach Blue Flag standard in 2013. The Blue Flag Award for beaches is
an international programme operated by the Foundation for Environmental
Education (FEE) and works towards sustainable development at beaches and
marinas through compliance with 32 criteria under the following headings
-
· Environmental Education and Information
· Water Quality
· Environmental Management
· Safety and Services
In Ireland An Taisce manage the Blue Flag for FEE.
Portmarnock has reached traditional Blue Flag standard in the past five
years, and there was a Blue Flag in place in the last three years. Measurements
of water quality on Portmarnock's Velvet Strand were exceptionally good
in 2012.
Fingal County Council's Principal Environmental Health Officer, George
Sharpson, confirmed that the results were of an exceptional high standard.
A new EU Directive on bathing water quality is setting new standards.
Although the Directive does not come into full operation until 2015, the
standards set are being implemented for Blue Flag purposes by FEE (and
in turn An Taisce).
Under rules which come into force in 2013, beaches that do not meet blue
flag bathing water standards in any year must produce four years of high
water quality standards before they can regain their flag.
Among the 32 criteria necessary to earn a blue flag, beaches must not
exceed EU bathing water pollution limits. Beaches will have to pass a
higher test before they can qualify for the flag.
Previously, beaches were awarded or stripped of their flag for the summer
bathing season based on the previous two years' results.
However, the new criteria require EU water quality results to be met for
four years in a row for beaches to be eligible for a blue flag. If a beach
loses its flag it must apply as if it was a new beach and show four years
of results.
If a beach drops below the water quality standard in any of the four years
it can still qualify, but only if water quality is above the limit for
pollutants such as faecal coliforms 95 per cent of the time over the average
of the four years combined.
The results which caused the loss of the flag also stay in the system
for four years, so any other season of poor results in that period will
drag down the average, making it harder to regain the flag.
The new Directive by the EU, which comes fully into place in 2015, involves
timely information to the public during the bathing season information
on bathing water quality. In particular, notices banning or advising against
bathing should be rapidly and easily identifiable. New Symbols on Water
Quality at designated beaches on information to the public on bathing
water classification and any bathing prohibition have been introduced.
This information will be obligatory on all designated beaches,
We hope that Portmarnock, which has a high standard of water quality,
will carry a three star 'Excellent Bathing Water Quality' symbol under
the new high standards.
In relation to a Blue Flag for Portmarnock in 2013, this issue has not
been fully resolved. The key issue is the water quality results from 2009
to 2012, and the variation in those results. 2011 and 2012 had exceptionally
good results. There was a major flooding event in Dublin on July 2nd 2009,
which impacted on the water quality result for that date. Fingal Co Council
could have asked for that result to be disregarded (the local authority
applied for and got derogation for Donabate for the same date). However
because it was the only bad result in 2009, Portmarnock did not need derogation
for that day because it qualified under the old system for that year.
However the actual poor result on that date brings down the overall result
for the four years, under the new rules. Ignoring the result of 2nd July
2009, Portmarnock is within the '95 percentile' as defined in the new
rules. If derogation for that date is accepted, Portmarnock will be the
only beach qualifying for a Blue Flag in Fingal in 2013.
Under the new rules, it appears that Malahide will lose the possibility
of ever achieving a Blue Flag again. Irish Water Safety (IWS) recently
carried out a Risk Assessment at Malahide Beach. Due to the dangerous
currents associated particularly with the channel situated to the north
of the beach, there is a permanent prohibition on swimming at Malahide
Beach, with a Red Flag flying at all times during the bathing season.
In light of this, IWS has recommended that Malahide beach should not be
a designated bathing area. As a result Malahide will not be identified
as a bathing water area in the future and will no longer be eligible to
apply for Blue Flag. The Beach however will continue to have a lifeguard
base.
|
