Record number of British beaches earn EU's highest standards for water quality

Flying the blue flag: An impressive 86.2% of bathing waters met the higher guideline standards including the Isle of Anglesey in North Wales


Staycations have been given a boost following the news that a record number of beaches and bathing spots in England and Wales have reached the highest European standards for water quality this year.

Figures from the Environment Agency showed 86.2 per cent of bathing waters met the higher 'guideline' standards set down by the European Commission in 2010 - a rise from 80.2 per cent last year and a huge increase from 1990 figures when less than a third of bathing sites made the grade.

Some 98 per cent of beaches and inland swimming areas met the mandatory minimum EC standards for water quality - down 0.6 per cent on last year's levels, data published by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) showed.

All 79 monitored beaches in Wales met the minimum standards, with 88.8 per cent reaching the higher 'guideline' levels, while in England 97.6 per cent of bathing spots met the mandatory standard and 85.7 per cent reached the more stringent level.

Tougher standards come into force from 2015, but already more than 80 per cent of beaches in England and Wales are clean enough to meet the new measures, the Environment Agency said.

However, 10 of the 493 beaches and bathing spots monitored failed to meet minimum standards, compared to seven out of 495 tested last year.

Lyme Regis Church Beach in Dorset and Mothecombe beach in Devon were among those that failed the minimum standards stipulated by the EU.

The Environment Agency says it will be working with surfers, farmers and water companies this year to tackle the worst beaches and improve bathing waters there.


Cleaning up their act: Seaton beach in Cornwall was one of ten bathing spots that failed to meet the minimum standards and will have to raise its bathing water quality over the next five years


It has secured a £4bn investment from water companies to help raise bathing water quality over the next five years to meet higher standards that come into force in 2015.

The agency's chief executive Paul Leinster said: 'The number of bathing waters in England and Wales attaining the highest quality status has almost tripled over the last 20 years - over eight in 10 sites now meet the EU 'guideline' standard for water quality.

'The Environment Agency is working hard with others to drive improvements and tackle all sources of pollution alongside beach users, local authorities, farmers, land managers and water companies.'


Saltburn beach in North Yorkshire also failed to meet the minimum standards. The Environment Agency has secured a £4bn investment to help raise bathing water quality in the UK


The 10 bathing waters that failed to meet minimum standards in 2010 were:
Lyme Regis Church Beach, Dorset
Mothecombe, Devon
Seaton, Cornwall
Seaton, Devon
Instow, Devon
Saltburn, North Yorkshire
Staithes, North Yorkshire
Heysham Half Moon Bay, Lancashire
St Annes, Lancashire
Walney Sandy Gap, Cumbria
To find out what the water is like at your local beach, visit www.environment-agency.gov.uk/bathingwaters


source: dailymail