Defra suspends bathing water applications until 2025

Campaigners welcome review but are disappointed by pause in applications, believing sites now won’t be a priority for storm overflow investment and will not be monitored

The cleanup of rivers and coastal waters across England is facing delays after Defra suspended all applications to create bathing water areas until at least 2025 in order to revise Bathing Water Regulations and application guidance.

Campaigners use the designation of bathing water status as a means to clean up rivers and force water companies to invest in reducing pollution from treated and untreated sewage. They fear the suspension has been introduced to prevent water companies facing significant resource implications in tackling sub-par water quality in new bathing areas.

The Environment Agency will monitor water quality at all 451 bathing sites between May and September to protect the health of bathers. They will begin testing for E coli and intestinal enterococci this season, and a water quality assessment will be made available next spring. Last year, 96% of bathing waters met minimum standards; 90% were classified ‘good’ or ‘excellent’, up from 76% in 2010, even though classification standards tightened in 2015.

“These popular swimming spots will now undergo regular monitoring to ensure bathers have up-to-date information on the quality of the water and enable action to be taken if minimum standards aren’t being met,” said Robbie Moore, Water Minister. “I am fully committed to seeing the quality of our coastal waters, rivers and lakes rise further for the benefit of the environment and everyone who uses them.”

The proposed changes to water bathing regulations will aim to improve water quality and enhance monitoring, while proposals will include increasing monitoring outside of the bathing water season.

“The delay will mean that these sites are not a priority for storm overflow investment in water company plans [and] will not be subject to investigation until they are designated…”

Rivers Trust welcomed the review of regulations but said there is “no need” to halt applications until that process is complete. “It's extremely disappointing for the community groups, including our local Rivers Trusts, who have been working extremely hard to gather data and evidence on the basis that they could submit applications this year,” said Tessa Wardley, Director of Communications and Advocacy.

“The delay will mean that these sites are not a priority for storm overflow investment in water company plans, will not be subject to investigation until they are designated, and will not be monitored by Environment Agency during the bathing water season, leaving river users at unknown risk for several more years. We urge Defra to reconsider and re-open bathing water applications so that communities’ time and efforts do not go to waste."

Alan Lovell, Environment Agency Chair said, “We know that improvements can take time and investment from the water industry, farmers and local communities, but where the investment is made, standards can improve.”

In the last four years, rivers including the Thames at Port Meadow, Oxford, and the Wharfe in Ilkley have won bathing water status, but testing has repeatedly shown water quality is poor. In May, a record 27 waterways were given bathing water status, including Church Cliff beach in Lyme Regis following a two-year campaign led by the River Lim Action Group.

Vicki Elcoate, River Lim Action group, said: "We're so pleased we were successful in getting our bathing beach at Church Cliff designated. It's already being monitored by the Environment Agency and the results are being published. This provides confidence for bathers and lets us know when water quality is impacted by sewage overflows. So it's already clear what needs to happen to improve water quality - reduce sewage overflows! We wouldn't have this information without designation".