7.13.2.1 The Environment Agency monitor 493 bathing waters, including nine inland, in England and Wales. The South West has more bathing waters than any other region, with almost 40% (191) of the national total.
7.13.2.2 In 2010, almost all bathing waters (98%) in England and Wales met mandatory minimum standards (imperative) and 426 (86%) were clean enough to meet European guideline standards which are 20 times more stringent.
7.13.2.3 97.4% of bathing waters in the South West met mandatory standards; 92% meeting the more stringent EU guideline standards, the best result since records began. Bathing water quality has improved significantly since 1990, largely due to water companies investing to improve the quality of their sewage discharges. After the dip in standards last year due to high summer rainfall, this years overall results have improved despite an extremely wet August. As
in 2009 five bathing waters failed to meet the mandatory standard in 2010, these were Lyme Regis (Church), Seaton, Instow and Mothecombe in Devon and Seaton in Cornwall. Sandy Bay in Devon was the only Blue Flag beach in the south west region which failed to meet the required water quality standards during 2010.
7.13.2.4 The revised Bathing Water Directive sets new, more stringent standards and comes into force in 2015. There will also be a strong emphasis on beach management and standardised public information. There are four
classifications: poor,sufficient, good, excellent. The new directive requires that all bathing waters are ‘sufficient’ by 2015 and classification is based on a 4 year cycle. The Environment Agency will begin monitoring under the new directive in 2012 for reporting the first set of classifications in 2015.
Figure 7.13.2.1 Bathing water quality in the South West and England, 1990 - 2009
