Human and dog excrement is being repeatedly found in popular bathing areas in Cobh and local councillors have again demanded that the county council test the water quality there.
Labour councillor Cathal Rasmussen accused ‘rogue’ motorhome and campervan users of dumping toilet waste into the harbour at Cuskinny, which has become an extremely popular swimming spot since covid.
Meanwhile, Fianna Fáil councillor Domonic Finn said dog and human excrement is also turning up in the equally popular swimming area close to the ‘American Pier’ at Whitepoint.
The council is preparing to erect height restriction barriers at the entrance to the car park at Cuskinny to prevent campervans from staying there overnight.
It has a special facility at the town’s harbourside Five Foot Way, which provides electricity, water, and waste disposal facilities.
Mr Rasmussen welcomed the news and thanked a local landowner in Cuskinny for cooperating with the council to allow the barrier’s installation.
He said he hopes this move will reduce the unacceptable actions of the rogue campervan owners.
Mr Finn said it is not clear where the human excrement at the American Pier is coming from, but it’s likely that some dog-walkers in the area are not picking up their pet’s faeces and it is being washed into the harbour by rain, or they are throwing poo-bags into the water.
Mr Finn added that there is also an unacceptable level of littering at both bathing areas and this must be tackled.
He suggested that the council put up warning signs stating the fines that could be issued to culprits at both spots.
Council officials agreed to do this.
“We have more and more people using these areas for swimming and a lot of young families go to them.
“We don’t want them to be turned away because of all this,” Mr Finn said.
Fine Gael councillor Sinéad Sheppard said she had previously asked the council to carry out water quality testing in the Cuskinny area in particular and asked for the results.
She was astonished to learn that the testing request had not been implemented.
Municipal district officer Paraig Lynch informed her that senior officials in County Hall had decided not to carry out water quality testing in the two locations as “it didn’t meet the technical criteria needed”.
Ms Sheppard and other councillors questioned how that could happen.
“Swimming is huge in those locations. It is imperative we carry out testing there so as be confident that they are safe areas for people to swim in,” she said.
Mr Lynch said he would again contact officials in County Hall to reiterate councillors’ calls for water quality testing to take place at the two areas.