AQW 32932/22-27 Written question to the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs to detail the number of Pollution Risk Forecasts issued for designated bathing waters, in each of the last five years, broken down by constituency.

Asked by Claire Sugden MLA on 7 October 2025

  • Answered
  • Written
  • After due date
Tabled
7 October 2025
Answer due by
22 October 2025
Answered
30 October 202523 days after tabling
Department
Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs
Priority question
No

Answer

The bathing water quality prediction app, ‘Swim NI’, provides daily pollution forecasts of bathing water quality at six beaches, enabling bathers to make an informed choice about potential exposure to bacteria that can cause illness. This project has provided predictions for four bathing seasons (2022-2025) and is a collaboration between my Department, Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute and Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful.

The number of predictions over the last 4 bathing seasons per constituency are as follows:

Constituency
(Bathing water(s) in italics)
Year
2022202320242025
East Londonderry
Castlerock, Portrush Curran
214214214214
East Antrim
Waterfoot
107107107107
North Down
Ballyholme
107107107107
Strangford
Ballywalter
107107107107
South Down
Newcastle
107107107107

Official sources