Environment Agency
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‘Facebook’ profile for every bathing water site to inform and protect beach goers
The Environment Agency have published detailed profiles on the cleanliness of some 500 bathing water sites across England and Wales.
The new bathing water profileson our website, include maps, photos and links to the latest water quality results for each of the country’s designated coastal and inland bathing sites. The profiles have been released to help the public make more informed choices about the best locations to visit and enjoy.
Last year, a record number of beaches and inland bathing waters in England and Wales reached the highest European standards in water quality. Over eight in ten beaches met the EU “guideline” standard across England and Wales – compared to just three in ten in 1990.
Huge improvements in bathing water quality
The Environment Agency has helped to direct some £8bn of water company investment to upgrade the country’s sewage system and reduce pollution in the past two decades, leading to huge improvements in bathing water quality.
However, there is more work to do to drive further improvements in water quality. The Environment Agency is working hard with others to identify and tackle sources of pollution at all bathing sites.
Most comprehensive information yet
Ed Mitchell, Environment Agency Director of Environment and Business, said:
“Our new profiles provide the most comprehensive information yet on the cleanliness of bathing waters, helping the public to make more informed choices about the best locations to bathe.
“A record number of beaches reached the highest European standards last year but we are not complacent. The Environment Agency is working hard to tackle all sources of pollution, alongside beach users, local authorities, farmers and water companies.”
Andy Cummins, Campaigns Director for Surfers Against Sewage, commented:
“The new bathing water profiles are a significant step forward in the provision of public information about important coastal environments. Beach lovers, including many SAS members, can learn about the environmental impacts on their coast.
“These bathing water profiles will not make the water cleaner, but they will allow beach users to make more informed decisions about when is best to use the water and the information to know when it might be better to give it a miss due to pollution incidents.”
The public can find out information about bathing waters in their area by visiting our web pages.
