Defra has published the 2015 Bathing Waters Compliance Report. New, tougher bathing water standards are now in place with 4 categories: poor, sufficient, good and excellent. In total 624 freshwater, estuarine and coastal bathing waters (waters officially designated for bathing) were monitored across the UK with 415 in England, 102 in Wales, 84 in Scotland and 23 in Northern Ireland. Of these 63.% met the new ‘excellent’ standard, and overall 97.1% met the new minimum standard (‘sufficient’).
The North West achieved ‘excellent’ at 12 beaches: Blackpool South, Formby, Fleetwood, Meols, Moreton, Silecroft, St Annes North, West Kirby and all 4 freshwater bathing waters on Windermere (Fell Foot, Lakeside YMCA, Millerground Landing and Rayrigg Meadow). In all 90% of our bathing waters passed the new, tougher Bathing Water Directive standards, with only 3 waters failing and being classified as ‘poor’. To see the full report click here. And to find out what you can do to help the North West improve all our waters see the LOVEmyBEACH website.
