Guidance

Water quality information at swimming beaches and lakes

The Bathing Water Directive: local councils’ duty to display information on water quality.

• From: Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs and Environment Agency
• Published: 27 February 2014
• Last updated: 2 March 2018 — See all updates

This publication was withdrawn on 9 May 2019

This page has been replaced by a newer version. Go to Bathing water information and signage rules for local councils for the latest information.

Documents

Water quality information at swimming beaches and lakes

HTML

Excellent bathing water quality symbol

EPS, 1.03 MB

This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.

Request an accessible format.

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email defra.helpline@defra.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Good bathing water quality symbol

EPS, 1.03 MB

This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.

Request an accessible format.

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email defra.helpline@defra.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Sufficient water bathing water quality symbol

EPS, 494 KB

This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.

Request an accessible format.

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email defra.helpline@defra.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Poor bathing water quality symbol

EPS, 1.02 MB

This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.

Request an accessible format.

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email defra.helpline@defra.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Advice against bathing symbol

EPS, 1.02 MB

This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.

Request an accessible format.

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email defra.helpline@defra.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Water quality symbols in PNG format

ZIP, 299 KB

This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.

Request an accessible format.

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email defra.helpline@defra.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Details

This guidance explains what information on water quality and pollution local councils must display at bathing waters.

Published 27 February 2014
Last updated 2 March 2018 + show all updates

1. 2 March 2018

   Update to html attachment: water quality information at swimming beaches and lakes. Update to show latest rules for local councils and include links to new signage generator.

2. 1 July 2016

   Added a zip file containing the images in PNG format.

3. 23 February 2016

   Edited so it's clear that this guide is about what local councils must do and removed information that's not related to local councils' duties.

4. 26 March 2015

   An update showing Information that will be appearing on signs at some bathing waters this year published within 'Pollution advice' section

5. 27 February 2014

   First published.