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Kilkee beach closed due to bacterial level concerns

A previous no swim notice at the beach was only lifted in May
A previous no swim notice at the beach was only lifted in May

Kilkee beach in Co Clare has been closed for up to four days due to a pump malfunction.

Signs were posted yesterday warning swimmers that bathing is prohibited because of the "risk of increased bacterial levels due to a pump malfunction in the wastewater pump station".

Irish Water said electrical issues at Kilkee Pump Station early yesterday morning caused the pumps to be out of service for a time.

In a statement, it said that led to a discharge of wastewater to the Victoria stream in Kilkee.

Operations resumed at the pumping station at 11am yesterday but the bathing restriction remains in place as water testing is carried out.

Irish Water said it is investigating why a call out system to the operational staff at the wastewater pump station did not work, when the pump failed.

The company is trying to get an emergency generator to the site as quickly as possible.

Managing Director Jerry Grant said: "We can only apologise to people because the spill has caused significant pollution to the beach."

Irish Water is looking at all of its coastal pumping stations because in this situation there should have been storage and back-up generation.

Mr Grant said Irish Water is to carry out an inventory of all of these stations and retro-fit standby generators where possible. 

He said: "We are looking at investing huge money in our telemetry system which will bring signals back to a central control. There will be a number of years before we get that fully implemented. We have to prioritise drinking water sites and ultimately bathing beach sites as well."

It could be up to two more days before these tests are completed with Irish Water hopeful that the ban will be lifted by the weekend. However, they said this is will be a decision for the Health Service Executive.

The closure comes as the town prepares to host the Marquee by the Sea festival this weekend.

Kilkee, which is on the Loop Head peninsula, is one of the most popular beaches on the west coast.

Businesses in the area rely heavily on tourism income over the summer months.

Last December, a no swim notice was placed on the beach as a precaution after heavy rainfall caused a safety device at the local wastewater pumping station located at Victoria Park on the Well Road to fail.

Pipes from the pumping station are directed to the beach and out to sea.

That 'no swim notice' was only lifted in May.