Water quality standards met at 99% of bathing sites

The number of English beaches achieving good or excellent standard is the highest since recording began in 2015, Environment Agency testing has shown, with 99% of bathing waters rating sufficient or above.

The results for 2021 show 94.7% of beaches and inland waters gained good or excellent rating while another 4.3% reached the minimum sufficient rating.

The proportion receiving at least a sufficient rating is up from 98.3% in 2019.  The coronavirus pandemic stopped some sample collections taking place in 2020.

The ratings are the highest since the standards were introduced in 2015 for the 400 designated sites that are monitored for sources of pollution that pose a risk to health such as E coli and enterococci.

The EA said 71% attained the highest excellent standard but warned there is “still much more to be done to ensure cleaner and healthier waters for people to enjoy”.

EA chair Emma Howard Boyd said: “Twenty years of improvements in bathing water took targeted regulation and significant investment. While this is reflected in today’s results we must continue to work together to maintain this trend.

“We cannot afford to be complacent. Public confidence in water quality has faltered in recent years with new evidence of pollution incidents getting much needed attention as a result of some excellent campaigning. The polluter must pay. To restore trust, water companies, industry and farmers need to get the basics right or face legal action.”

Out of 417 bathing waters, 413 met at least the minimum standard; 295 were classified as excellent while four did not meet the minimum standards and were rated poor. Those were the Tynemouth Cullercoats in Tyneside, River Wharfe at Ilkley in Yorkshire, Heacham in Norfolk, and Weston Main in Somerset.

This was the first time the River Wharfe was classified since becoming designated as the UK’s first inland bathing area last year. Yorkshire Water announced a £13 million programme of work on Tuesday (18 January) to improve water quality at the bathing spot but said its work alone would be insufficient and urged other river stakeholders to address pollution at source.

Environment minister Rebecca Pow added: “We must go further to protect and enhance water quality. Our Environment Act puts in place more protections against water pollution than ever before, we are investing in programmes to support farmers to tackle water quality issues, and we are clear that where water companies do not step up we will take robust action.”