Official Statistics

Bathing water quality statistics

Annual statistics showing if bathing waters in England meet regulatory standards.

From:
Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs
Published
26 November 2012
Last updated
6 December 2023 — See all updates

Applies to England

Documents

2023 Statistics on English coastal and inland bathing waters: A summary of compliance with the 2013 bathing water regulations

HTML

2022 Statistics on English coastal and inland bathing waters: A summary of compliance with the 2013 bathing water regulations

HTML

2021 Statistics on English coastal and inland Bathing waters: A summary of compliance with the 2013 Bathing Water Regulations

HTML

Statistics on English coastal and inland bathing waters compliance in England 2019

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Statistics on English coastal and inland bathing waters compliance in England for 2019

PDF, 428 KB, 3 pages

Statistics on bathing waters in England for 2018 (revised 12 December 2018)

PDF, 402 KB, 3 pages

Statistics on bathing waters in England for 2017 (revised May 2018)

PDF, 298 KB, 3 pages

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Statistics on bathing waters in England for 2016

PDF, 125 KB, 3 pages

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Statistics on UK bathing waters for 2015

PDF, 293 KB, 3 pages

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Details

Bathing waters in England have not been classified in 2020. This is due to the severe impacts on bathing water monitoring and analysis caused by the Coronavirus pandemic and the necessary adherence with government guidelines to prevent the spread of the virus.

An official statistic has not been produced for 2020.

The Environment Agency closely monitors beaches and inland waters that are designated bathing waters to check that standards are being maintained.

They must publish the official statistics and classifications awarded.

Bathing waters can be classified as ‘excellent’, ‘good’, ‘sufficient’ or ‘poor’.

Latest results – 2023

Out of 423 bathing waters:

  • 405 (95.7 per cent) met at least the minimum standard
  • 281 (66.4 per cent) were classified as ‘Excellent’
  • 18 (4.3 per cent) did not meet the minimum standard and were classified as ‘poor’
Classification % Numbers
Excellent 66.4% 281
Good 23.4% 99
Sufficient 5.9% 25
Poor 4.3 % 18

Bathing water quality in the rest of the UK

See additional statistical data.

Defra statistics: environment

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Updates to this page

Published 26 November 2012
Last updated 6 December 2023 + show all updates

  1. Chart updated

  2. changes to chart view

  3. 2023 release published

  4. Latest data to 2022 added.

  5. Figures for 2021 bathing water quality published.

  6. Cancellation of the 2020 release due to impacts of Covid19

  7. 2019 results published

  8. A change to the classification of Southend Three Shells and the associated figures.

  9. 2018 figures released

  10. Change to the classification of a bathing water.site

  11. Annual update.

  12. Annual update to publication.

  13. Added summary for English beaches and links to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland information.

  14. New figures for UK published 5 November

  15. Bathing water statistics for 2014 published.

  16. 2013 figures

  17. First published.

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