Resilience for EU Bathing Waters and Coastal Communities (Acclimatize)

The Acclimatize operation aims to close the knowledge gap in relation to the faecal pollution of 'at-risk' urban and rural bathing waters in Ireland and Wales by identifying and quantifying pollution streams and determining their impact on these waters through a dynamic period of climate change.

The project develops a range of practical management methods, including smart real‐time predictive tools, to improve the quality of such coastal waters to ensure compliance with regulations to protect human health and the marine environment. Data models are developed to inform the effects of climate change, through altered weather patterns, including rainfall, temperature and tides which impact the quality of water in coastal areas.

The activity of Acclimatize is centred on engagement with local stakeholders to design and deliver a new empirical evidence-base using complementary cutting edge science techniques in Ireland and Wales. The immediate result forms a strong evidence-base which can be used to drive new predictive modelling of climate change drivers on the sustainable use of coastal bathing and, potentially, shellfish harvesting waters.

The Acclimatize project focuses on designated and ‘at-risk’ bathing waters in two complementary environments, a large scale urban and a rural agricultural environment. The large scale urban environment is represented by ‘at-risk’ bathing waters in Dublin Bay and in North County Dublin. The rural agricultural environment in Wales focuses on the 5 main ‘at-risk’ bathing waters in Wales. The bathing waters in these contrasting environments are impaired by different factors and will certainly experience different effects from climate change.

The Acclimatize operation enjoys strong support and participation of local authorities as well as national agencies in Ireland and Wales.