'Do not swim' notice issued for Portmarnock's Velvet Strand

A DO NOT swim notice has been issued for a beach in Portmarnock, Co Dublin due to a “pump station overflow”. This is when untreated wastewater or storm water is accidentally released into the environment. Fingal County Council said the likely cause of the overflow is heavy rainfall. The notice will be in place at the Velvet Strand for four days. The council said that resampling of the water quality is being arranged. Meanwhile, the beach remains open to the public, but beach users are asked to respect the notice. The public can check for water quality on monitored beaches on the Environmental Protection Agency website or by checking the notice board at the entrance to each beach.