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Successful integration of bathing and urban waste water treatment legislation had also a positive effect on water quality at Ardmore Beach in Ireland (Box 2).

Box 2: Water policy integration: the case of Ardmore Beach (Ireland)

Ardmore Beach is a sandy beach on the south coast of Ireland near Ardmore village. It is visited by hundreds of bathers, surfers and kayakers during the bathing season. The biodiversity of the beach and its surroundings is relatively high. Between the beach and harbour, low tide provides access to rock pools which are home to numerous species of shrimps, crabs, fish, and anemones. Natural heritage areas situated in the vicinity of the beach include vegetated sea cliffs and coastal dry heather which are home to many bird species, and the Blackwater estuary, an internationally important wetland site.

During 2014, high tides and strong winds interfered with the normal dispersion and dilution of screened sewage from the nearest waste water treatment plant, causing bathing water to be classified as ‘poor’. In order to improve bathing water quality, water discharged from the treatment plant has been additionally treated during the bathing season.  Bacterial levels were significantly reduced. Bathers, surfers and kayakers returned to the beach, as soon as the advisory notice was removed. For the past two years, bathing water at Ardmore beach has been of ‘excellent’ quality.