NI Water sewage spills contributing to ‘unsafe’ bathing waters

Helen’s Baywatch is a swimming group on Belfast Lough. Its members have been swimming from the County Down beach for years.

“It’s a real national treasure, just a few miles from Belfast,” Alicia Peyrano told the BBC.

“We do this every day, all year. It kind of brings us together as a community, coping through ups and downs.

“We’ve even had dolphins come in all the way up here, which is really rare. It’s amazing.”

At this beach, more common than dolphins, is something much less beautiful – raw sewage being spilled by NI Water.

“There’s a water treatment works just round the corner,” said Gillian Armstrong.

“I’ve been down here swimming one day, beautiful, clear blue water, but a literal stream of brown coming past.”

Helen Armstrong, a member of Surfers Against Sewage, put it more succinctly.

“You can see the visible brown trails whenever there has been a discharge,” she said.

“We shouldn’t be swimming in shit.”