Water Quality - EC Bathing Water Directive

News

• Bathing water quality reaches all time high (4 November 2003)
• Morley 'delighted' as 105 Blue Flag beaches smash all records (5 June 2003)

Introduction

The objective of the 1976 bathing water Directive is to protect public health and the environment from faecal pollution at bathing waters. The Directive requires Member States to identify popular beaches and monitor the bathing waters for indicators of microbiological pollution. The Commission website explains the requirements of the bathing water Directive in more detail. The results are reported to the European Commission which produces an annual Report on the quality of European bathing waters.

Copies of the UK's implementing Regulations (from HMSO) are available from the following links:

• England and Wales
• Scotland
• (Northern Ireland Regulations are not available on-line)

UK Bathing Water Results

Bathing water quality reaches all time high (4 November 2003)

The table below shows compliance over the last decade in England, and the UK as a whole, with the EC mandatory coliform bacteria standards.

Bathing water quality in England in the 2003 season was, again, the best ever. 98.8% of bathing waters in England (406 out of 411) complied with the EC mandatory coliform bacteria standards. Water quality necessary for a Blue flag was 73.5% compliance in 2003, compared with 70% in 2002.

For more detailed information on UK bathing water quality results please see the Environment Agency website.

Information Provision

Bathing water quality information is updated during the bathing season (May to September) on the Environment Agency's website. Defra also encourages local authorities to display bathing water sampling information at the beach. An example of a poster (82kb) used in the Defra-organised local authority poster scheme is available.

Beach Awards

There are a number of voluntary bathing water award schemes in operation in the UK. These include the Blue Flag Scheme, the Seaside Awards and the Good Beach Guide. Follow the links below for more information.

• Blue Flag and Seaside Awards
• The MCS Good Beach Guide

Revision of the Bathing Water Directive

The bathing water Directive is currently being revised - see this page for information.

Contacting Defra

If you want further information that is not covered by these pages, you can contact us by e-mail at: wq.enquiries@defra.gsi.gov.uk