UK Bathing Water Quality 2025

2025 season — national overview

Bathing water quality by local authority (GBWS ranking)

7 local authorities (Babergh, Cambridge, Leeds, Ribble Valley, Shropshire, South Oxfordshire, Telford and Wrekin) have fewer than 3 seasons of data per site and show “insufficient data”.

UK bathing water quality — FAQ

How many English bathing waters are rated Excellent in 2025?

In the 2025 bathing season, 297 of 449 designated bathing water sites in England achieved the highest EA rBWD classification of Excellent, meaning they meet the strictest water quality standards under the Revised Bathing Water Directive. A further 95 were rated Good. Source: Environment Agency Bathing Water Quality API.

What does the EA bathing water classification mean?

The Environment Agency classifies each designated bathing water annually under the Revised Bathing Water Directive (rBWD): Excellent (best), Good, Sufficient, or Poor (worst). Classification is based on 4 seasons of E. coli and intestinal enterococci data. Sufficient and above is legally compliant; Poor means the site fails the minimum standard. Sites with fewer than 4 seasons of data may receive a provisional or insufficient-data status.

What is the Gera Bathing Water Score (GBWS)?

The Gera Bathing Water Score (GBWS) combines two components from Environment Agency rBWD annual compliance classifications (key-free open data, OGL v3.0): (1) latest classification score (Excellent=100, Good=75, Sufficient=50, Poor=25), weighted 0.6; and (2) pass-rate across every assessed season available for the site (up to six: 2019, 2021–2025; the proportion rated Sufficient or above), weighted 0.4. Formula: GBWS = round(0.6 × latest_score + 0.4 × pass_rate × 100). Sites with fewer than 3 assessed seasons are shown as 'insufficient data'. The 2020 bathing season was cancelled due to COVID-19 and is excluded. LA-level scores are the mean GBWS of all sites within the LA that have sufficient data. Source: EA BWQ API, seasons 2019, 2021–2025.

Which area has the best bathing water quality in England?

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole has the highest Gera Bathing Water Score of 100/100 (19 sites rated, 19 Excellent) among English local authorities with sufficient data. Source: EA BWQ API, 2025 season.

Is it safe to swim at UK bathing waters?

Sites rated Excellent or Good are safe for swimming under normal conditions. Sufficient means safe when there are no active advisories. Poor sites may pose health risks, especially for children and vulnerable people. Advisories are posted by the EA for temporary pollution events (e.g. after heavy rain). Always check the EA or RNLI website for real-time advisories before swimming.

How often are bathing waters tested?

The EA takes water samples at least every 2–4 weeks during the bathing season (mid-May to end of September). At least 20 samples are required per season for a full annual classification under the rBWD. Results are published on the EA's Bathing Water Quality platform at environment.data.gov.uk/bwq/.