'The sea is not swimmable' - Deal campaigners

Deal Castle Beach's water quality was rated "excellent" just six years ago

Campaigners in coastal Kent are demanding action after the quality of their seawater went from "excellent" to "poor" in six years, which led swimmers to cancel the Deal Boxing Day Dip.

In November, the Environment Agency (EA) warned against entering the water at Deal Castle Beach because of sewage and pollution.

Campaign group Save Our Seas Deal and Walmer (Sosdaw) started a petition to ask the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and the Environment Agency to help reverse the decline in quality.

Defra said it was carrying out a full review of the water sector to shape further legislation, while the EA said it was increasing its inspections of water companies.

Sosdaw founder Emily Groves started the group in response to the November rating.

Her worry is the rating could impact quality of life for Deal residents, as well as put tourists off.

She said: "[We're] worried we are going to have less people come and visit because who wants to come and visit somewhere where the sea is not swimmable?"

Her husband Jonathan said: "For coastal towns like Deal, the sea is everything.

"Pretty much you can always see it, you can hear it, you can smell it - it is part of your life."

In 2019, Defra deemed Deal Castle's water quality "excellent", reducing this to "good" in 2021.

In 2023, the rating was lowered to "sufficient", before reducing this further to "poor" in 2024.

Kent beaches Dymchurch and Littlestone also received "poor" ratings.

Reducing water pollution

Sosdaw is hopeful that identifying and repairing issues could help water quality return to "sufficient" quickly before concentrating on longer term plans.

The group has asked for increased water testing, repairs to sewer leakages and an upgrade to pipe and sewer infrastructure.

It is also asking Defra to publish a new strategy on returning water quality in the area and wider UK to "excellent".

Mrs Groves said: "Potentially we can alter the rating so we can know that it isn't as bad as we thought it was."

A Defra spokesperson said: "Too many of our popular swimming spots are polluted", adding that bathing regulations were being modernised.

"We have wasted no time in placing water companies under special measures through the Water Bill, which includes new powers to ban the payment of bonusses for polluting water bosses and bring criminal charges against lawbreakers," they said.

"We're also carrying out a full review of the water sector to shape further legislation that will transform how our water system works and clean up our waterways for good."

An Environment Agency spokesperson said: "We know how hugely important bathing waters are for communities and that's why our specialist officers are working with Southern Water and Dover District Council to find ways to improve bathing water quality along the south-east Kent coast.

"We are also increasing our water company inspections fourfold this year, with up to 500 additional staff and making better use of data and intelligence to inform our work and hold water companies to account."