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Bathing waters report

We are working to further improve bathing water quality throughout England and Wales ahead of the introduction of the revised Bathing Water Directive in 2015.

Read our new report

  • describes the current picture showing how bathing water quality has improved over the last 20 years;
  • explains the new standards required by the revised Bathing Water Directive;
  • clarifies who does what - roles and responsibilities under the revised Bathing Water Directive;
  • sets out how we monitor bathing water quality; and
  • gives examples of the work we're doing in partnership with others to further reduce pollution.

The revised Bathing Water Directive

The EU’s revised Bathing Water Directive (rBWD) sets higher water quality standards for bathing water to be achieved from 2015. It also puts a stronger emphasis on beach management and providing information to the public.

More than 88 per cent of bathing waters in England and 96 per cent in Wales already meet the tougher standards of the rBWD.  We’re working to ensure that the others meet them by 2015.

How will we achieve future improvements in bathing water quality?

We are working to investigate the causes of pollution at bathing waters and develop measures for improvement. This includes:

  • Working closely with water companies and using the latest technology to track down sources of pollution;
  • Overseeing more than £4 billion worth of water company investment on environmental improvements at inland and coastal waters. This includes supporting 83 projects to improve bathing water quality at 37 beaches and using scientific investigations to identify sources of pollution at a further 44 sites; 
  • Working with local councils to reduce pollution from towns and industrial estates entering rivers and the sea; and
  • Working with farmers to reduce the amount of pollution caused by animal waste that is washed off farmland into rivers, streams and ultimately our bathing waters.

Work to improve our bathing waters is also linked with the following initiatives:

Further information