Public invited to help identify official swimming areas in Leitrim

Leitrim County Council is calling on swimming enthusiasts to help identify official bathing waters across the county.

Currently, Keeldra Lake in Mohill is the only designated bathing site in Leitrim. 

Under European and Irish legislation, local authorities are required to identify official bathing areas annually so that they can be monitored for safety, water quality and usage levels.

To help with this process, the Council is inviting residents who swim at beaches, lakes and rivers to have their say. Swimmers are encouraged to suggest whether the existing designated bathing water should be maintained or if new locations – frequently used for swimming but not yet officially recognised – should be added to the list.

When considering a site for designation, people are asked to reflect on factors such as how often the area is used for swimming, the number of users, available facilities, site accessibility and any known safety concerns.

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Nationally, there are over 200 bathing water sites. According to a 2024 report by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 96 percent of these met or exceeded the minimum ‘sufficient’ standard for, with 81 percent achieving ‘excellent’ status. 

Last year, three new bathing water sites were identified in Wicklow, Dublin and Tipperary.

The closing date for submissions to Leitrim County Council is June 27.

To propose your favourite swimming location as a new bathing site, contact Leitrim County Council’s Environment Department at environment@coco.ie or call 071 9620005.