2024 Statistics on English coastal and inland bathing waters: A summary of compliance with the 2013 bathing water regulations
Updated 26 November 2024
Applies to England
© Crown copyright 2024
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/bathing-water-quality-statistics/2024-statistics-on-english-coastal-and-inland-bathing-waters-a-summary-of-compliance-with-the-2013-bathing-water-regulations
Responsible Statistician: Stuart Homann (Environment Agency)
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Seacole House, 2 Marsham Street, London, SW1P 4DF
Public enquiries (phone): 08459 335577 Public enquiries (email): enviro.statistics@defra.gsi.gov.uk Media enquiries: 020 7238 6479
These results summarise the compliance of coastal and inland bathing waters for England in 2024. Datasets on compliance for coastal and inland bathing waters in England are available to download
1. Headline results
- In 2024, measurements were taken at 450 bathing waters in England, up from 423 bathing waters in 2023.
- In 2024, out of the 450 bathing waters measured in England, 413 (91.8 per cent) met at least the minimum standard of the Bathing Water Regulations.
- In 2024, 289 bathing waters in England (64.2 per cent) met the Excellent standard of the Bathing Water Regulations.
- In 2024, 37 bathing waters in England (8.2 per cent) did not meet the minimum standard, and were classified as Poor.
2. Context
For every designated bathing water in England, the Environment Agency monitors Escherichia coli and intestinal enterococci in the water, throughout the bathing season (May to September). Values can vary; depending on the weather, pollution from agricultural and urban sources, storm water overflows, amongst other factors. The readings taken over the last four bathing seasons then determine the annual classification for that water.
The 2024 classification results cover the period from 2021 to 2024; over a four-year period. Prior to the start of the 2024 season, no bathing waters were de-designated, but an additional 27 waters were designated at the start of the season. This brings the total number of designated bathing waters in England to 451. There was one bathing water unassessed due to access issues. Newly designated bathing waters are assessed with one season’s samples which increases to two season’s samples the following year.
This year’s increase of 27 new designations at locations not previously managed to achieve bathing water standards needs to be considered when comparing 2024 and 2023 classifications.
The classifications are:
- Excellent – the highest, cleanest class
- Good – generally good water quality
- Sufficient – the water quality meets the minimum standard
Poor – the water quality has not met the minimum standard.
Due to Coronavirus restrictions, there was no classification during the 2020 bathing water season.
3. Analysis
Bathing Water Classification: England
Source: Environment Agency (EA)
The number of bathing waters meeting the highest standard, Excellent, has increased slightly from last year’s level although the percentage has dropped slightly. The number of Poor bathing waters rose to the highest level since adopting the four-tier classification system in 2015; 8.2 per cent of all bathing waters in England. In-part this reflects the designation of new sites not previously managed to meet bathing water standards.
Bathing Water Classification: England
| Bathing water Classification: England | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bathing waters assessed |
413 | 413 | 420 | 420 | N/C | 417 | 419 | 423 | 450 | |
| Excellent | 287 69.5% |
271 65.6% |
282 67.1% |
302 71.9% |
N/C | 295 70.7% |
302 72.1% |
281 66.4% |
289 64.2% |
|
| Good | 98 23.7% |
109 26.4% |
106 25.2% |
90 21.4% |
N/C | 100 24.0% |
87 20.8% |
99 23.4% |
95 21.1% |
|
| Sufficient | 22 5.3% |
26 6.3% |
23 5.5% |
21 5.0% |
N/C | 18 4.3% |
18 4.3% |
25 5.9% |
29 6.4% |
|
| Poor | 6 1.5% |
7 1.7% |
9 2.1% |
7 1.7% |
N/C | 4 1.0% |
12 2.9% |
18 4.3% |
37 8.2% |
Percentages are subject to rounding errors.
4. Background information
These statistics have been produced to the high professional standards set out in the Code of Practice for Official Statistics, which sets out eight principles including meeting user needs, impartiality and objectivity, integrity, sound methods and assured quality, frankness and accessibility. More information on the Official Statistics Code of Practice can be found at:
https://www.statisticsauthority.gov.uk/monitoring-and-assessment/code-of-practice/
To help those deciding where to swim, information is online https://www.gov.uk/quality-of-local-bathing-water and on signs at the designated coastal and inland waters from May.
5. Notes
England: https://environment.data.gov.uk/bwq/profiles/
Public Enquiries: 08459 335577; Media enquiries: 020 7238 6479
END