Latest news with #bathingwater
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
'Deep concern' over water pollution at bathing site
An MP has urged water bosses to take action over pollution. Beccy Cooper, MP for Worthing West, is seeking an 'urgent meeting' with Southern Water due to 'continuing failures' regarding water contamination. Worthing Beach House, a bathing water site located near Splashpoint Leisure Centre, was designated poor by the Environment Agency last year, meaning swimming is not advised. Ms Cooper has described the water quality as "extremely poor' and said she has 'deep concerns'. Her statement said: 'I know that Worthing Borough Council have worked hard to achieve bathing water status by recruiting volunteer 'citizen scientists' to monitor pollution levels at this and other sites, only to find that the water off Beach House in particular is of such a poor quality that the public are advised not to swim in it. Worthing West MP Beccy Cooper (Image: Supplied) 'I am very alarmed that repeated pollution incidents will continue to impact public health and our coastal environment as we move into the busy bathing season and would like to seek reassurance that Southern Water is doing everything in its power to prevent this – as has clearly not been the case up to now. 'On behalf of my constituents therefore, can you please inform me of the causes of this recent decline in water quality and give me details of immediate and long-term measures being taken to prevent further pollution events. 'I would also like to see detailed information on your work with the council and Environment Agency to monitor and respond to water quality issues. READ MORE: Lake identified as a potential source of contamination at beach 'Furthermore, I would like to see improved transparency on this from Southern Water, with more open and regular communication with the public, especially during the summer season. 'Finally, I would like to request a formal written response on the issue and to suggest that as a matter of urgency we meet to discuss this and other matters further.' A spokesman for Southern Water said: 'We're pleased that Dr Cooper shares our concern for bathing water quality and we have been in contact to arrange a meeting to discuss how bathing water quality can be improved. 'There are many causes of contamination in bathing water – agricultural and road runoff, wildlife and human behaviour on the beach to name a few. 'On the official government website, it has been noted by the Environment Agency that at Worthing Beach House the likely main source of contamination is 'urban diffuse pollution entering through the surface water system'. 'This means the work of our misconnections team, which tracks down loos and washing machines wrongly connected to surface water drains instead of our sewer system, is vital to continue to improve bathing water quality. 'We are also investing in sewer investigations and rehabilitation where needed.'
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Yahoo
The beaches with the worst water quality in England revealed
The dirtiest beaches in England have been revealed based on water quality, including coastal spots in some of the country's most popular holiday hotspots such as Cornwall and Devon. The UK's Environment Agency tests England's bathing waters every year by taking samples in the summer to build up an assessment of the water quality, providing them with a classification from 'excellent' to 'poor'. The classifications are based on the analysis of samples taken over a four-year period. The Environment Agency tests the samples for bacteria to indicate if there is faecal matter in the water, which could come from sewage, livestock, wildlife, birds and road drainage. If bathing water is classified as poor, then a sign advising against bathing will be displayed, yet the beach will remain open for people to use at their leisure. In the 2024 study of all 455 bathing waters across England, 37 were classed as poor, and out of that group 19 were beaches. Among those on the list were Porthluney in Cornwall, Lyme Regis Church Cliff Beach in Dorset and Bunster Beach in Somerset. Further up north, Tynemouth Cullercoats in Tyne and Wear, Scarborough South Bay in North Yorkshire and Blackpool North in Lancashire landed in the 'poor' category. Holiday Park Guru completed a further analysis of the Environment Agency's data, what they call its 'Brown Flag Awards' for 2025, and found that Lancashire actually ranks last as a county, since none of its bathing spots are yet to gain an 'excellent' rating. Meanwhile, more than 90 per cent of Northumberland's beaches achieved the highest category for water cleanliness. Despite having beaches on the poor quality list, Dorset, Devon, and Cornwall are highly rated, too. However, Somerset, Cumbria, Merseyside and Kent are all counties that have less than desirable water quality at their bathing spots. The publication also found that the Isle of Wight, County Durham, Lincolnshire and Suffolk saw all of their designated bathing areas gaining one of the top two ratings ('good' or 'excellent'). The Environment Agency has made its data public so bathers can make informed choices about where to relax and swim, as well as see what beaches are doing to improve their water quality. As bathing spots are ever-changing, water pollution can be temporarily reduced, as rainfall, tides, weather and the season can all impact its quality. Porthluney in Cornwall Coastguards Beach, Erme Estuary in Devon Lyme Regis Church Cliff Beach in Dorset Southsea East in Hampshire Deal Castle in Kent Dymchurch in Kent Littlestone in Kent Blackpool North in Lancashire St Annes North in Lancashire Heacham in Norfolk Weston Main, Weston Super Mare Sand Bay and Weston Super Mare Uphill Slipway in Somerset Dunster Beach in Somerset Blue Anchor West in Somerset Bognor Regis, Aldwick in Sussex Worthing Beach House in Sussex Tynemouth Cullercoats in Tyne and Wear Littlehaven Beach in Tyne and Wear Scarborough South Bay in North Yorkshire Bridlington South Beach in East Riding of Yorkshire
