About Balbriggan, Front Strand Beach

Balbriggan Front Beach is a small flat sandy beach with an adjacent working harbour.. View available amenities and tide information at Beaches.ie.

Latest Annual Bathing Water Quality Report

Balbriggan, Front Strand Beach is classified as having Poor Water Quality in 2023 based on the assessment of bacteriological results for the period 2020 to 2023 and consequently, an Advice Not To Swim restriction will apply at the bathing water for the 2024 bathing season. Balbriggan, Front Strand Beach had a Poor Water Quality rating for the four consecutive years 2020 to 2023. Annual water quality ratings are generally calculated using monitoring results over a four-year period and are assessed against stringent bacterial limits to protect bather health. Fingal County Council reported that the main sources of pollution are sewage discharges and misconnections from domestic plumbing systems, faeces from dogs, birds and other animals, and contaminated surface streams flowing through the town. Uisce Éireann have developed a drainage area plan for Balbriggan and will progress works in 2024 to identify problems in the sewer network and fix them. A project to upgrade the Quay Street pumping station is underway since 2023 and expected to be completed in 2024. Fingal County Council carried out misconnection investigations in 2023 and repairs were undertaken. Fingal County Council's dog wardens carried out targeted inspections in 2023. The Green Dog Walker Scheme is promoted to encourage responsible dog ownership as dog fouling is a risk to bathing water quality. These initiatives will be continued in 2024. Fingal County Council have developed a Seagull Information Leaflet which includes advice on how to dispose of food waste. Fingal County Council will carry out further inspections of domestic wastewater treatment systems and farms in the catchment area in 2024. The 'Our Balbriggan' rejuvenation plan for the harbour also has potential to improve water quality.