There’s been a spike of almost 50% in the number of water pollution complaints made in Clare this year.
Data from Clare County Council shows members of the public have raised concerns regarding the pollution of a water body on over 100 occasions in the first nine months of the year.
The local authority’s Water Monitoring Enforcement Scientific Team is involved in a number of services including monitoring bathing waters, inspecting wastewater treatment plants and processing complaints.
From January to September of this year, 106 complaints were made regarding water pollution in Clare.
This is 34 more than in the same period last year which makes it a jump of 47%.
Clare’s designated Bathing Season this year spanned from June 1st to September 15th, during which time 56 complaints were logged.
January saw more complaints than any other month so far in 2024, with 27 received by the local authority.
The Council has noted that during the recent Bathing Water Season, it implemented one prohibition notice and one advisory notice.
In addition, five prior warning notices were issued in advance of heavy rainfall events and unlike in 2023, no proliferation of blue or green algae on Lough Derg was recorded.
