11-05-2025
Swimming club at one of UK's 'grubbiest' beaches says water has made members ill
A sea swimming club based at one of the country's grubbiest beaches has claimed that dirty water is making its members sick.
The Muscle Beach Swimmers Club, in East Worthing, said it was 'shocked' the water quality at Beach House in East Worthing is among the worst in the country.
Aldwick beach in Bognor and the section of beach behind Splashpoint Leisure Centre were recently named "brown flag" beaches after getting a poor water quality rating by the Environment Agency (EA) last year.
Muscle Beach Swimmers Club of East Worthing comprises 24 people who swim all year round in East Worthing, around 500 metres from the water quality testing site in question.
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Mark Smith from the club said there have been instances where 'members of our group have become ill, and whilst it can be hard to directly prove that this is due to the water quality, we believe that it is linked'.
He added: 'We know the long-standing issues around water quality in the UK and closely monitor sewage releases into the sea so that we can swim as safely as possible.
'To receive the Brown Flag accolade highlights the poor quality of the water we swim in, and more action needs to be taken.
"To compound this issue Southern Water are raising bills for local residents by 47 per cent, adding insult to injury."
Worthing Beach House was only added to the EA's list of sites to monitor last year after residents worked to obtain the new bathing designations needed to test the water at the spot.
UK travel site Holiday Park Guru analysed the Environment Agency's official summertime water quality data at hundreds of beaches to reveal the '19 grubby winners' of the Brown Flag award.
The site is offering free brown flags so that the 19 named beaches can 'warn summer swimmers about their poor rating'.
A 47 per cent increase in water bills adds insult to injury Mark said: 'We demand further action from the government and Worthing Borough Council to ensure that the quality of the seawater matches many other parts of the Sussex coast which regularly receive good ratings.
'We call on the government to act on this, to work more closely with Worthing Borough Council and the Environment Agency and also to demand action from Southern Water to bring about change and to improve the water quality at this site.'
A spokesperson for Southern Water said: 'Worthing Beach House was designated as a new bathing water site in 2024, and rated 'poor' in its first year for water quality. The Environment Agency has been clear that this was not related to storm overflows, but likely due to contamination in surface water drains.
'We are working closely with the local authority and other local partners to track down where private wastewater pipes may be illegally connected into these channels. We hope that through this action, we can come together to achieve a better water quality score for the coming years.'
