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
- 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 | |||
| 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
| East Londonderry Castlerock, Portrush Curran | 214 | 214 | 214 | 214 |
| East Antrim Waterfoot | 107 | 107 | 107 | 107 |
| North Down Ballyholme | 107 | 107 | 107 | 107 |
| Strangford Ballywalter | 107 | 107 | 107 | 107 |
| South Down Newcastle | 107 | 107 | 107 | 107 |