Bunmahon Beach
Waterford City & County Council
No active EPA restriction shown
EPA alert data last synced 19 Oct 2026, 13:36.
Current restrictions and beach signage take priority over annual classifications and individual sample results. Conditions can change between samples.
EPA annual assessment
Bunmahon Beach is classified as achieving Excellent Water Quality in 2025 based on the assessment of bacteriological results for the period 2022 to 2025. Bunmahon Beach achieved a Good Water Quality rating in 2024 and Sufficient Water Quality rating in 2023 and 2022. 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.
Annual water quality history
Recent water samples
| Date | Sample status | E. coli | Intestinal enterococci |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Sep 2026 | Excellent | 111 | 4 |
| 24 Aug 2026 | Excellent | <10 | 2 |
| 10 Aug 2026 | Excellent | <10 | <1 |
| 27 Jul 2026 | Excellent | <10 | 4 |
| 13 Jul 2026 | Excellent | 10 | <1 |
| 29 Jun 2026 | Excellent | 42 | 15 |
| 17 Jun 2026 | Excellent | 10 | 1 |
| 15 Jun 2026 | Sufficient | 560 | 45 |
| 2 Jun 2026 | Excellent | 10 | 4 |
| 27 May 2026 | Excellent | 87 | 14 |
Facilities & access
About this bathing water
Bunmahon is a sandy gently sloping beach with a dune area along the roadside. Currents can be variable. The Dune area supports a variety of plant species and wildlife. The rock pools which are accessible during low tide support a variety of marine wildlife and plants. The United Nations Economic Social and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has recognised the south coast of the county between Garrarus and Ballyvoyle Head as a GeoPark; one of a network of European sites of exceptional geological interest. The coastal area is also a Special Protection Area (SPA) under the E.U. Birds Directive. The designated bathing area is approximately 500 metres long and 100 metres wide (at low tide).
Official information
Managed by Waterford City & County Council.
Open EPA beach profile