Help Protect the Waters You Love to Explore

Whether you swim, paddle, sail, surf, or simply love being beside the water, Northern Ireland’s rivers, lakes and coastline are a huge part of what makes getting outdoors here so special. Keeping them clean and safe matters to all of us.

That’s why Outscape, the organisation behind OutmoreNI, has teamed up with the Northern Ireland Sports Forum and the Clean Water Sports Alliance NI to respond to DAERA’s Bathing Waters Policy Review. And now they’re inviting you to add your voice before the consultation closes at 5pm on Friday 21 August 2026.

Why it matters

Good water quality is fundamental to outdoor recreation. When people feel confident the water is clean and safe, they’re far more likely to get out and enjoy swimming, paddlesports, sailing, surfing, angling and more. These activities are brilliant for our physical and mental health, our communities, and local tourism. In fact, research from the People in the Outdoors Monitor 2025 found that 80% of adults here would like to spend more of their free time outdoors.

But current bathing-water policy is still built around the traditional idea of a summer swimmer. The reality has changed. More people than ever are in and on the water throughout the year, and the rules need to catch up.

The changes being called for

The joint response asks DAERA to:

• recognise all recreational water users, not just summer bathers
• extend the monitoring season to run from 1 April to 31 October, with winter monitoring where it’s needed
• provide clear, real-time information, including a mobile-friendly dashboard and pollution alerts
• focus monitoring where use and risk are highest
• use that monitoring to drive real improvements, backed by investment and accountability for polluters

Add your voice

The consultation is open to everyone, and every response helps show just how much our waters are used and valued. You can download the joint responses, adapt them with your own experiences, and submit them to DAERA.

• [Download the suggested response for DAERA’s online form]
• [Download the detailed joint response]
• Read the consultation and respond to DAERA

Because the online form has a limited word count, we’d recommend completing it and then emailing a fuller response to waterpolicy@daera-ni.gov.uk.

Please submit your response by 5pm on Friday 21 August 2026. Together, we can help protect the waters that make Northern Ireland such a special place to get outdoors.