Bathing water quality tests could be extended

Testing designated bathing sites runs from May to September

Plans are being considered to change the way bathing water quality is monitored and tested in England and Wales.

A government consultation has opened as part of a broader plan to overhaul the system for monitoring designated outdoor swimming sites.

People are being asked for their views on changes that could also expand the definition of bathers to include paddle boarders and surfers, and involve testing water quality at multiple points within a site.

Currently, the 550 designated bathing sites are monitored from May to September, with sites classified annually based on water quality.

Water Minister Emma Hardy said: "Bathing water sites are the pride of local communities across the country.

"But the current system is not working for all those who use and enjoy our bathing waters, and reform is long overdue."

The existing system has been criticised for not accounting for year-round use, potentially exposing swimmers to pollution outside the summer months.

Proposed changes include removing fixed monitoring dates, expanding the definition of bathers, and focusing on whether sites can meet water quality standards before designation.

The plans also suggest ending the automatic de-designation of sites rated poor for five consecutive years, opting instead for individual reviews.

'Driving improvements'

Hannah Pearson, founding director of campaign group Friends of the Dart in Devon, said she welcomed "any review that prioritises the safety of all river users as well as the ecology of the river itself".

"Rivers have different needs to those of coastal waters which the current process is designed for," she said.

"As such, we would urge the review to be radical and all encompassing by taking into account and meeting the unique individual needs of rivers at the same time as those of other water bodies."

Mark Lloyd, chief executive of The Rivers Trust, said he was "particularly pleased" to see the ending of automatic de-designation for waters which failed to meet standards after five years.

"The focus must be on driving improvements in our natural environment and not giving up when it gets hard," he said.

'Radical reform needed'

Giles Bristow from Cornwall-based Surfers Against Sewage, said the bathing water designation process needed "radical reform".

"We welcome this vital consultation but a glaring omission is the monitoring of emerging pollutants, like PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), that are harmful to human health."

He added: "The reform of the regulations must set the course for all waterways that are used recreationally to be designated – designation means monitoring and transparency is a must if we are to navigate our way out of the dirty waters of the sewage scandal."