We’re concerned new reforms could potentially undermine the spirit of the Bathing Water Regulations to protect the health of water users.

As the official Bathing Water season begins on 15th May in England and Wales, we’re raising serious concerns about UK and Welsh Government plans to reform Bathing Water Regulations. Without changes, these reforms could threaten public health, reduce the number of newly designated bathing sites and fail to address current concerns over sampling.

In England, our research has revealed that 103 water samples were excluded from water quality assessments during the 2024 Bathing Season. These samples, taken during short-term pollution events or ‘abnormal situations’, are currently permitted to be removed from final classifications under existing rules in England. Whilst water users at the time are informed of the pollution, it means that samples with some of the highest levels of pollution are being ignored in categorising Bathing Waters as ‘Excellent’, ‘Good’, ‘Sufficient’ or ‘Poor’. This practice could mask the true level of pollution, risking the health of swimmers and other water users.