Food & Environment / Clean Beaches & Bathing Water

One of the most well known laws to be decided on at EU level concerns the quality of our bathing water at UK beaches.

Out of a total of 596 coastal bathing areas monitored around the UK in 2010, 96.8% met the EU’s mandatory water quality standards established in the EU bathing water directive. These include monitoring for E. Coli and Intestinal Enterococci contamination, which are the main health threats to bathers.

All beaches are given one of four classifications: poor, sufficient, good or excellent, and you can check the water quality of any of the monitored UK beaches (or those in other EU countries) below. This tool can also be used to check out the quality of beaches in other countries you are visiting for work or pleasure.