No swimming warning lifted at Lisfannon Beach

The 72 hour no swimming warning at Lisfannon Beach in Fahan has been lifted after laboratory analysis of its waters found no trace of pollution.

Donegal County Council issued a 72-hour 'prior warning' of possible pollution at the beach on Tuesday 3 June, advising pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems to avoid swimming, and similarly advised people with any open wounds or cuts on their body to stay out of the water for fear of contracting a water-borne illness.

Read more: Donegal's Blue Flag beaches where water quality is monitored

However, water quality tests carried out at Lisfannon have returned excellent results, with no contamination from harmful bacteria like e.coli or intestinal enterococci.

Consequently, the no swimming warning, which was issued owing to fears of pollution from Fahan waste water treatment plant and surface water run off from septic tanks exacerbated by heavy rainfall, has been lifted.

Lisfannon Beach consistently returned excellent water quality results during the 2024 summer bathing season, and has maintained that in the two tests carried out this summer so far.

Water quality tests are carried out once every eight to ten days from June-September at designated bathing spots such as Lisfannon.

However, when heavy rainfall is forecast, the local authority can issue warning notices advising the public of the risk of pollution. Three such warnings, ranging from three to five days, were issued at Lisfannon last summer, five were issued in 2023 and two in 2022.