Swimming spots set to become designated bathing water sites

The water minister has announced that four swimming sites in England are being considered to become designated bathing water sites. This means they will benefit from regular water quality monitoring from the spring.

The sites include Sykes Lane Bathing Beach and Whitwell Creek at Rutland Water, Firestone Bay in Plymouth, and a section of the River Deben at Waldringfield, Suffolk. There are currently 420 designated sites.

Designated bathing sites benefit from the Environment Agency regularly monitoring water quality at bathing waters and assessing whether action is needed to cut pollution levels, working with local communities, farmers and water companies to improve water quality at these locations.

Since 2010, the proportion of bathing waters assessed as ‘good’ or ‘excellent’ has increased from 76 per cent to 93 per cent. At the same time, 72 per cent are considered ‘excellent’ - up from just 51 per cent in 2010. This is the highest level ever.

Water Minister Rebecca Pow said: "England’s bathing water sites are an important part of how we safeguard our precious coastal waters, rivers and lakes, as well as protecting the health of bathers.

"The actions we have taken mean that people across the country will be able to swim at more sites and in better quality water, but we know there is more to do.

“I would strongly encourage all residents and bathers to take part in these consultations to help make sure we continue to have cleaner and healthier waters both now and for future generations.”

Canoeists on Whitwell Creek by Mat Fascione, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons