Managing Ireland s Bathing Waters. Peter Webster, Senior Scientist (Reporting & Assessment), EPA

Transcription

1 Managing Ireland s Bathing Waters Brittas Bay (Co. Kildare) Photo: An Taisce Keem Beach, Achill, Co. Mayo Peter Webster, Senior Scientist (Reporting & Assessment), EPA

2 Ireland s Identified BW Currently 137 EU identified waters for 2015 Over 60 other non-eu monitored waters reported in 2014 BW management / sampling undertaken by Local Authorities First 4 year classification applied by EPA under rbwd in Poor waters (5.1%) but 75.7% were Excellent 81 Blue Flag beaches (59%)

3 Percent Percent Bacterial distributions in Irish bathing waters ( ) Probability Plot of E.coli Normal Probability Plot of IE Normal %ile ca. 300 cfu/100ml %ile ca. 90 cfu/100ml 80 97% of results < 500 E.Coli % of results <330 IE 50 99% of results < 2000 E.coli E.coli IE

4 But bacteria are not our only public health problem Lion s Mane jellyfish affected several Dublin Bay bathing waters in 2014 Traffic jams on Rossnowlagh (Co. Donegal) Litter at Myrtleville (Co. Cork) Sea Lettuce (Ulva sp.)

5 Prelude to full implementation of BW Regs. In February 2013 projections were compiled of likely status based on data and reported to Local Authorities and the EPA Board 20 waters deemed as Vulnerable and 10 as likely to be Poor Split of ca. 2:1 toward Urban diffuse / WWTP vs. Agriculture 2012 was the wettest summer in Ireland for almost 50 years with many southern / southwest counties badly affected by rainfall impacts Public comment : What good is looking at 4 years ago?. What is important to us is can we go in the water now! Meetings were held with all local authorities whose bathing waters were projected to be Sufficient or Poor to highlight possible status and to identify possible management measures

6 Incident reporting and Public information Two new modules developed by EPA for bathing water reporting Bathing Water Information System (BWIS) for reporting of identified waters / monitoring calendars etc. Compliance and Incident Reporting System (CRIS) for all incidents details. Splash National bathing water website. Mobile app planned for Twitter incident releases

7 2013 Interim assessments vs. Actual outcome 2014 ( data) ( data) Sufficient Balbriggan Buncranna (Lady s Bay) Bunmahon Fountainstown Grattan Road Loughshinny Merrion Strand Tra na Forbacha Tra na mban Youghal Claycastle Poor Ardmore Ballyloughane Clifden Duncannon Lilliput (L.Ennell) Rush South Youghal Front Strand Of the 17 Sufficient / Poor waters found in the 2014 (4 year) assessment 14 of these had already been highlighted in 2013 as being at risk

8 Pollution sources reported in 2014 Likely source of pollution 2014 Agricultural diffuse pollution 8 Wastewater discharges 27 Septic tanks 1 Animals / Birds 2 Urban discharges / combined with agriculture 3 Urban diffuse pollution 1 Other sources 6 Total STP events reported in 2014 but only 1 occurrence of pollution observed Was this an over-reaction to issues in 2012? - (probably) Much more emphasis by LAs on rainfall correlation in 2015 More LAs using the 4 day window in 2015 due to safety issues

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10 2014 Rainfall effects quite marked regionally Dates Roches Pt. Sherkin Valentia Shannon Bemullet Malin Head Dublin May May May - 1 Jun Jun Jun Jun Jun Jun - 6 July July July July July - 3 Aug Aug Aug Aug Aug Sept Sept (8days) MHd Bm Shn Dub Va Shk RPt

11 Local authority responses to incidents Generally poor use of STP in 2013 /14 (much more use in 2015) Focus of most management measures is on engineering solutions (e.g. WWTP) solutions rather than improved catchment management / pollution source assessment. Little attention seems to have been given to the need for good public communication of problems despite significant media interest in bathing water restrictions. 15 beaches at risk of closure due to pollution fears (Independent 1/5/14) Swimming bans for Brittas and six Dublin beaches (Irish Times 7/8/14) Quality of our bathing water takes a big dip (Irish Examiner 21/5/14) Financial and/or staffing resources / Urban diffuse pollution / now Irish Water s problem were all cited as excuses for action Often limited investigation unless followed up by EPA!

12 Some clear causes e.g. Ardmore disinfection failure Would have been Sufficient except for these 3 results Probably Good except for the effect of this outlier value Few sporadic problems each year but obvious impact in 2014 due to disinfection process problem Is variation in annual quality related to tidal patterns / wind direction? Possible pollution from urban runoff / other sources needs to be better quantified Management measure: New WWTP by end 2017

13 CSO s discharges e.g. Rush South Rainfall events causing CSO operation Rainfall events causing CSO operation Problem lies with sporadic high value in 2012 / 14. Very good performance in 2013 so rainfall does seem to be a CRITICAL issue in triggering PS / CSO discharges. Need to assess and quantify potential pollution of other sources e.g. using MST techniques Water quality issues likely to continue be problematic until WW infrastructure improved (2018?) Management measure: Connection of PS discharges to southern sewer network by 2018

14 Urban / Agriculture inputs e.g. Youghal Front Strand Rainfall events causing CSO operation Average E.Coli just 240 /100ml Poor status ( ) linked to poor 2012 season (rainfall / wind / tide / CSO operation) but 3Yr - annual ( ) data would indicate Sufficient for E.Coli Are all the issues related to WW discharges or is the E.coli from other background impacts? Need to review, identify, and quantify these including microbiological quality of the R. Blackwater Management measure: CSO intercepted / WWTP to be operational by end 2017

15 Youghal Front Strand environs Town WW discharge (settled / screened) Blackwater estuary Main CSO discharge Claycastle beach (Sufficient in 2014)

16 Risk assessment of downgrading in 2015 Sufficient waters which are at risk of being downgraded to Poor Bathing Area E.Coli Enterococci Overall Local Authority Probable causes of pollution Risk of Poor Fountainstown Sufficient Good Sufficient Cork Diffuse agriculture / Local stream Moderate Youghal (Claycastle) Sufficient Excellent Sufficient Cork Wastewater discharges Moderate Merrion Strand Sufficient Sufficient Sufficient Dublin City Urban discharges / Sewage? Very High Balbriggan Front Strand Sufficient Good Sufficient Fingal Urban discharges / Sewage? High Loughshinny Beach Sufficient Sufficient Sufficient Fingal Surface water / Septic tanks Very high Tra na mban, An Spideal Sufficient Good Sufficient Galway County Septic Tanks Moderate Grattan Road Beach Sufficient Excellent Sufficient Galway City Urban diffuse / CSOs Moderate Good waters which are at risk of being downgraded to Sufficient Bathing Area E.Coli Enterococci Overall Local Authority Probable causes of pollution Suff. risk Garryvoe Good Excellent Good Cork Diffuse Agric. / WWTP to stream Very High Sandymount Good Good Good Cork Urban diffuse discharges / CSOs Very high Skerries Good Good Good Donegal Wastewater discharges High Ceibh an Spideal Good Good Good Galway county WWTP discharges / Septic tanks High Claremont Good Good Good Fingal Surface water / PS discharges Moderate Dollymount Good Good Good Dublin Urban diffuse discharges /CSOs High Skerries Good Good Good Fingal Urban diffuse discharges /CSOs Moderate Coolmaine Good Excellent Good Cork Agriculture / WWTP / Algae Moderate

17 Timeline for actions during 2015 March 2015 LA s and Irish Water invited to informal meeting with EPA to review 2014 classifications and discuss future options for BW management April 2015 LA s were requested to submit formal management plans for EPA review. BW Workshop held to review 2014 assessments and agree on national signage for use at all BW May 2015 Review of Management plans by EPA Bathing Water Unit and Office of Environmental Enforcement (OEE) where related to WWTP End May LA s advised of suitability (or otherwise) of management plans with revised submissions by June Update of BW Profiles by end June Jun Sept EPA review of implementation of management measures and compliance with signage / public communication strategy October Commence data validation and preparation of assessment for EU reporting December Reporting to EU and LAs on BW classifications Jan 2016 Start the cycle all over again

18 Management plans Management plans were required to address both short term and longer term remedial measures using a common template: 1. Introduction setting out EPA Guidance and the legal requirements for the preparation of management plans for remediation of Poor waters 2. Description of Bathing Water (as per profile). Revised BW profiles required. 3. Description of Contributing Catchment (as per profile) 4. Review of BW Quality assessment 2012, 2013 and Review of possible Pollution sources / Likely impacts 6. Proposed remedial measures (including timeframe and contacts for each identified pollution source) 7. Communications strategy (for public information) 8. Contact names / details for further information 9. Appendices (Diagrams / Tables / Supporting information)

19 Requirements / Options for Poor waters Display of an Advice against bathing or Bathing Prohibition notice for the entire BW season depending on the severity of pollution Caused widespread public confusion between 4 year classification and current quality! Upgraded from Advisory to Prohibition in the event of any continuing deterioration in water quality Mandatory reporting to EPA of any BW incidents breaching HSE warning / action thresholds NO option for the use of STP to replace results linked to forecast pollution at Poor beaches as they are already known to be impacted Use of 4 day window in the event of concerns over safety of sampling Possible classification as Changed status if the proposed management measures have been clearly demonstrated to have significantly improved water quality but only if supported by evidence of positive actions Need to review actual management measures for efficacy especially public communication!

20 HSE action thresholds (May 2015) Escherichia coli Intestinal enterococci. Recommended Action (At the discretion of PEHO, taking into account the beach profile, previous sampling history, probable source of contamination etc.) E. Coli > 2,000 OR I.E. > 250 Issue of a Bathing prohibition* 1, E.Coli AND 200 I.E. Issue of a Bathing prohibition* 1, E.Coli BUT < 200 I.E. Issue an Advisory notice and resample immediately If resample is still 1000 E.Coli < 1000 E.Coli AND I.E. Issue of a Bathing prohibition* Monitor the situation and resample. Decision based on the evidence available/details of any pollution event. * Known gross malfunction or leakage of the sewerage system, confirmed by visual reports of pollution should lead to an immediate Bathing Prohibition.

21 Nationally agreed Public notices Temporary signage for incidents Seasonal signage for permanent (season duration) display at Poor waters

22 Lessons Learned Early forecasting of weather (rainfall / wind) impacts is essential for good beach management and allows use of STP criteria Need for LAs to review underlying trends of poor quality (acute or chronic) and the likely cause(s) Microbial source tracking (MST) can help in improving the decision making process and identification of pollution sources Early involvement of (Irish Water) in BW discussions was critical to prioritising of remedial works impacting on BW quality Need for formal engagement with beach managers (LAs) to assess / review their management options Need for EPA to ensure that proposed actions are undertaken!

23 Lessons to be learned How to keep the public well informed but avoid confusion Use of term Restriction rather than Closure = less negative tone? Use a man on the No. 10 bus type of explanation and avoiding using techno-jargon wherever possible Explain clearly the difference between historic (4 year) classification and current water quality Point the public to where the current quality can be found splash.epa.ie Which signs work best and where they should go At the beach notice board? On the beach (vandalism / durability)? Format (sealed paper template or plastic multi-use)? How much information is really needed? Is the overall tone of our messages too alarmist?

24 How much information and what should it say!

25 So in summary - were the management plans successful? Yes No Clifden : New WWTP operational - minimum sampling in 2015 but all Excellent Youghal: CSO intercepted and new WWTP groundwork commenced Sept 2015, WWTP expected late Quality much improved in Excellent / 3 Good Lilliput: RBC wastewater tankered offsite improvement in water quality with all at least Good quality in 2015 Ballyloughane: CSO weir improvements - 15 Excellent / just 1 Poor in 2015 Duncannon: Local objections to location of WWTP so no remedial action to date but water quality in 2015 showed 14 Excellent / 2 Good (by chance!) Rush: Variable performance during WQ improvements largely dependent on CSO / WWTP works upgrades planned by 2018 Ardmore : Disinfection improved = 14 Excellent / 1 Poor. New WWTP due 2017 Merrion Strand / Loughshinny : Likely Poor in 2015 Urban diffuse / WWTP links Verdict: Most problems are with WWTPs / CSOs. Some successes but almost all are dependant on Irish Water s WWTP capital program

26 What does the future hold? Concerns exist over marginal Good / Sufficient waters where BW formula is less appropriate. Isolated high values can distort the data distribution Need to ensure that future capital investment in WWTP infrastructure is directed at improving BW quality but There is a critical requirement (using MST) to prove which species bacteria is the primary source so remedial actions can be targeted appropriately Need for rural authorities to focus on the mitigation of agricultural / septic tank inputs and for urban authorities to identify surface water impacts 4 year assessment is clearly linked to weather impacts for some waters what will be the impacts of climate change? Ireland seems likely to maintain comparatively high numbers of Excellent / Good status waters at ca % So do come pay us a visit sometime soon You won t be disappointed!

27 Thank you.