Bathing water quality statistics
Annual statistics showing if bathing waters in England meet regulatory standards.
Applies to England
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Details
Bathing waters in England have not been classified in 2020. This is due to the severe impacts on bathing water monitoring and analysis caused by the Coronavirus pandemic and the necessary adherence with government guidelines to prevent the spread of the virus.
An official statistic has not been produced for 2020.
The Environment Agency closely monitors beaches and inland waters that are designated bathing waters to check that standards are being maintained.
They must publish the official statistics and classifications awarded.
Bathing waters can be classified as ‘excellent’, ‘good’, ‘sufficient’ or ‘poor’.
Latest results – 2025
Out of 450 bathing waters:
- 417 (92.6 per cent) met at least the minimum standard
- 289 (64.2 per cent)were classified as ‘Excellent’
- 37 (8.2 per cent) did not meet the minimum standard and were classified as ‘poor’
| Classification | % | Numbers |
|---|---|---|
| Excellent | 66.1% | 297 |
| Good | 21.1% | 95 |
| Sufficient | 5.6% | 25 |
| Poor | 7.1 % | 32 |
Bathing water quality in the rest of the UK
See additional statistical data.
Defra statistics: environment