Seawater quality concerns spark village meeting

Southern Water, the Environment Agency and local MP Tony Vaughan have been invited

Residents in a seaside village in Kent are being urged to attend a local meeting to address its "poor" rating for bathing seawater quality and flooding concerns.

The meeting, organised by Dymchurch Parish Council, is being held at the village hall at 18:30 GMT on Wednesday.

The council said it hoped the meeting would address "urgent issues impacting the reputation and well-being" of the area.

Dougie Young, the council's chair, said attendance from residents was "vital in providing the clarity, accountability and actionable insights necessary to address these challenges effectively".

The rating was given by the Environment Agency in 2024 and people were advised to not go into the water.

Mr Young said: "This classification not only raises health and environmental concerns, but also threatens the parish's reputation as a desirable destination for residents, businesses and visitors."

The council said it hoped to "uncover the factors" behind the rating, see what investigations were being carried out and to understand what was being planned to improve future ratings.

The meeting will also discuss the causes of local flooding and mitigation efforts while evaluating future prevention plans.

Invitations to the meeting have been sent to both county and Folkestone & Hythe District councillors, Southern Water, the Environment Agency (EA) and local MP Tony Vaughan.

'Work is ongoing'

Southern Water says the meeting is a "great opportunity" to talk to residents about how it works with councils and the EA to track down potential sources of contamination.

An EA spokesperson said: "While overall bathing water quality has improved in recent decades due to targeted investment and robust regulation, the poor results for Dymchurch show there is much work still to do."

They said they were working with Southern Water and the district council to find ways to improve the water quality along the coast in Kent.

District council leader Jim Martin added: "Investigatory work is ongoing and residents can be assured this is not an issue Folkestone & Hythe District Council will be giving up on."

MP Tony Vaughan said he had contacted the EA to find out what was being done to investigate water pollution in the area.