Lilliput bathing water to be put forward for upgrade

The bathing water at Lilliput on Lough Ennell is to be put forward for an upgrade to “good” following a “complete clean bill of health”.

The E.coli limit there this year has been below the required level at all times despite being sampled more than any other area.

There are three designated bathing areas in Westmeath – Portnashangan, The Cut and Lilliput – and moves are afoot to have Coosan Point in Athlone added to the list.

Speaking at a meeting of the Environment Strategic Policy Committee last week, Jonathan Deane, senior engineer with the county council, reported that the bathing areas were used more than ever this year.

He said that this is the first year since 2017 that Lilliput has had “a complete clean bill of health”.

It had been “poor” for the last three consecutive years and because there is a significant improvement, the council can apply to the Environmental Protection Agency to have it classified as “good”, he said.

Mr Deane said this would be “a great achievement for the whole community who have contributed and assisted, including the agricultural community, the business community, fishermen, stakeholders who have collectively worked with us to improve the status of Lilliput in 2021”.

The council are carrying out public consultation to identify new bathing water areas in the county at the moment.

They have received a number of submissions, all in relation to Coosan Point.

A report will be compiled and published in the new year.