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Cornwall — Bathing Water Quality 2025
Gera Bathing Water Score: 98/100
What is the bathing water quality in Cornwall?
Cornwall has a Gera Bathing Water Score of 98/100 for the 2025 bathing season, based on 89 EA-rated sites: 80 Excellent, 8 Good, 1 Sufficient, 0 Poor. Source: Environment Agency Bathing Water Quality API (OGL v3.0). Gera re-dates this annually.
Source:Environment Agency — Bathing Water Quality API·as of bathing season 2025 (latest completed season)updated annually (last: )
Gera Bathing Water Score98 / 100Ranked 18 of 68 local authorities. 80 Excellent, 0 Poor (2025 season).How this index is calculated
Bathing water sites in Cornwall
| Site | Type | 2025 rating | GBWS | Seasons |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Booby's Bay | Coastal | Excellent | 100/100 | 6 |
| Carbis Bay | Coastal | Excellent | 100/100 | 6 |
| Cawsand | Coastal | Excellent | 100/100 | 6 |
| Chapel Porth | Coastal | Excellent | 100/100 | 6 |
| Charlestown | Coastal | Excellent | 100/100 | 6 |
| Church Cove | Coastal | Excellent | 100/100 | 6 |
| Constantine Bay | Coastal | Excellent | 100/100 | 6 |
| Coverack | Coastal | Excellent | 100/100 | 6 |
| Crackington Haven | Coastal | Excellent | 100/100 | 6 |
| Crinnis Beach | Coastal | Excellent | 100/100 | 6 |
| Crooklets | Coastal | Excellent | 100/100 | 6 |
| Daymer Bay | Coastal | Excellent | 100/100 | 6 |
| Downderry | Coastal | Excellent | 100/100 | 6 |
| Duporth | Coastal | Excellent | 100/100 | 6 |
| Fistral North | Coastal | Excellent | 100/100 | 6 |
| Fistral South | Coastal | Excellent | 100/100 | 6 |
| Godrevy Towans | Coastal | Excellent | 100/100 | 6 |
| Gorran Haven Little Perhaver | Coastal | Excellent | 100/100 | 6 |
| Great Western | Coastal | Excellent | 100/100 | 6 |
| Gwithian Towans | Coastal | Excellent | 100/100 | 6 |
| Gwynver | Coastal | Excellent | 100/100 | 6 |
| Gyllyngvase | Coastal | Excellent | 100/100 | 6 |
| Harlyn Bay | Coastal | Excellent | 100/100 | 6 |
| Hayle Towans | Coastal | Excellent | 100/100 | 6 |
| Holywell Bay | Coastal | Excellent | 100/100 | 6 |
| Kennack Sands | Coastal | Excellent | 100/100 | 6 |
| Long Rock | Coastal | Excellent | 100/100 | 6 |
| Lusty Glaze | Coastal | Excellent | 100/100 | 6 |
| Maenporth | Coastal | Excellent | 100/100 | 6 |
| Marazion | Coastal | Excellent | 100/100 | 6 |
| Mawgan Porth | Coastal | Excellent | 100/100 | 6 |
| Mexico Towans | Coastal | Excellent | 100/100 | 6 |
| Millendreath | Coastal | Excellent | 100/100 | 6 |
| Mother Ivey`s Bay | Coastal | Excellent | 100/100 | 6 |
| Northcott Mouth | Coastal | Excellent | 100/100 | 6 |
| Pendower | Coastal | Excellent | 100/100 | 6 |
| Pentewan | Coastal | Excellent | 100/100 | 6 |
| Penzance | Coastal | Excellent | 100/100 | 6 |
| Perranporth Penhale Sands | Coastal | Excellent | 100/100 | 6 |
| Perranuthnoe | Coastal | Excellent | 100/100 | 6 |
| Poldhu Cove | Coastal | Excellent | 100/100 | 6 |
| Polkerris | Coastal | Excellent | 100/100 | 6 |
| Polstreath | Coastal | Excellent | 100/100 | 6 |
| Polurrian Cove | Coastal | Excellent | 100/100 | 6 |
| Polzeath | Coastal | Excellent | 100/100 | 6 |
| Porthallow | Coastal | Excellent | 100/100 | 6 |
| Porthcothan | Coastal | Excellent | 100/100 | 6 |
| Porthcurnick | Coastal | Excellent | 100/100 | 6 |
| Porthcurno | Coastal | Excellent | 100/100 | 6 |
| Porthgwidden | Coastal | Excellent | 100/100 | 6 |
| Porthkidney Sands | Coastal | Excellent | 100/100 | 6 |
| Porthleven Sands | Coastal | Excellent | 100/100 | 6 |
| Porthmeor | Coastal | Excellent | 100/100 | 6 |
| Porthminster | Coastal | Excellent | 100/100 | 6 |
| Porthoustock | Coastal | Excellent | 100/100 | 6 |
| Porthpean | Coastal | Excellent | 100/100 | 6 |
| Porthtowan | Coastal | Excellent | 100/100 | 6 |
| Portmellon | Coastal | Excellent | 100/100 | 6 |
| Portreath | Coastal | Excellent | 100/100 | 6 |
| Portwrinkle | Coastal | Excellent | 100/100 | 6 |
| Praa Sands East | Coastal | Excellent | 100/100 | 6 |
| Praa Sands West | Coastal | Excellent | 100/100 | 6 |
| Sandymouth | Coastal | Excellent | 100/100 | 6 |
| Seaton (Cornwall) | Coastal | Excellent | 100/100 | 6 |
| Sennen | Coastal | Excellent | 100/100 | 6 |
| Sharrow | Coastal | Excellent | 100/100 | 6 |
| Shorthorn Beach | Coastal | Excellent | 100/100 | 6 |
| Summerleaze | Coastal | Excellent | 100/100 | 6 |
| Swanpool | Coastal | Excellent | 100/100 | 6 |
| Tolcarne | Coastal | Excellent | 100/100 | 6 |
| Towan | Coastal | Excellent | 100/100 | 6 |
| Tregonhawke | Coastal | Excellent | 100/100 | 6 |
| Trevaunance Cove | Coastal | Excellent | 100/100 | 6 |
| Trevone Bay | Coastal | Excellent | 100/100 | 6 |
| Treyarnon Bay | Coastal | Excellent | 100/100 | 6 |
| Upton Towans | Coastal | Excellent | 100/100 | 6 |
| Vault Beach | Coastal | Excellent | 100/100 | 6 |
| Watergate Bay | Coastal | Excellent | 100/100 | 6 |
| Wherry Town | Coastal | Excellent | 100/100 | 6 |
| Widemouth Sand | Coastal | Excellent | 100/100 | 6 |
| Crantock | Coastal | Good | 85/100 | 6 |
| East Looe | Coastal | Good | 85/100 | 6 |
| Kingsand | Coastal | Good | 85/100 | 6 |
| Par Sands | Coastal | Good | 85/100 | 6 |
| Perranporth | Coastal | Good | 85/100 | 6 |
| Porth | Coastal | Good | 85/100 | 6 |
| Readymoney Cove | Coastal | Good | 85/100 | 6 |
| Trebarwith Strand | Coastal | Good | 85/100 | 6 |
| Porthluney | Coastal | Sufficient | 57/100 | 6 |
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Compare bathing water quality across local authorities
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Pick a local authority to see its Gera Bathing Water Score and all rated sites.
98/100
GBWS
Gera Bathing Water Score
18 / 68
Rank
vs other LAs
89
Total sites
designated bathing waters
80
Excellent
8
Good
1
Sufficient
0
Poor
Rated sites (GBWS order)
- Booby's BayExcellent · 100
- Carbis BayExcellent · 100
- CawsandExcellent · 100
- Chapel PorthExcellent · 100
- CharlestownExcellent · 100
- Church CoveExcellent · 100
- Constantine BayExcellent · 100
- CoverackExcellent · 100
- +81 more sites…
Cornwall bathing water — FAQ
- Is the sea water quality good in Cornwall?
- Cornwall has a Gera Bathing Water Score of 98/100 (80 of 89 rated sites Excellent, 0 Poor) for the 2025 season. A GBWS of 98 reflects a combination of current classification (weighted 60%) and multi-season consistency across all assessed seasons, up to six from 2019–2025 (weighted 40%). This is a high score, indicating consistently good water quality across the area.
- What does the Gera Bathing Water Score mean?
- 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.
- How are Cornwall bathing waters classified?
- The Environment Agency classifies each designated bathing water under the Revised Bathing Water Directive (rBWD): Excellent, Good, Sufficient, or Poor, based on 4 seasons of E. coli and intestinal enterococci samples. Cornwall has 89 designated site(s). Annual classifications are published on the EA's Bathing Water Quality platform.
- When is the bathing season?
- The official bathing season in England runs from mid-May to the end of September each year. The EA monitors water quality weekly during the season. Outside the season, monitoring is not required and advisories may not be current.
Planning a coastal stay or property in Cornwall?
GeraHome connects you with vetted local professionals for cleaning, maintenance, and property checks in Cornwall and nearby areas.
Individual sites in Cornwall
- Booby's Bay— Excellent (GBWS 100)
- Carbis Bay— Excellent (GBWS 100)
- Cawsand— Excellent (GBWS 100)
- Chapel Porth— Excellent (GBWS 100)
- Charlestown— Excellent (GBWS 100)
- Church Cove— Excellent (GBWS 100)
- Constantine Bay— Excellent (GBWS 100)
- Coverack— Excellent (GBWS 100)
- Crackington Haven— Excellent (GBWS 100)
- Crantock— Good (GBWS 85)
- Crinnis Beach— Excellent (GBWS 100)
- Crooklets— Excellent (GBWS 100)
- Daymer Bay— Excellent (GBWS 100)
- Downderry— Excellent (GBWS 100)
- Duporth— Excellent (GBWS 100)
- East Looe— Good (GBWS 85)
- Fistral North— Excellent (GBWS 100)
- Fistral South— Excellent (GBWS 100)
- Godrevy Towans— Excellent (GBWS 100)
- Gorran Haven Little Perhaver— Excellent (GBWS 100)
- Great Western— Excellent (GBWS 100)
- Gwithian Towans— Excellent (GBWS 100)
- Gwynver— Excellent (GBWS 100)
- Gyllyngvase— Excellent (GBWS 100)
- Harlyn Bay— Excellent (GBWS 100)
- Hayle Towans— Excellent (GBWS 100)
- Holywell Bay— Excellent (GBWS 100)
- Kennack Sands— Excellent (GBWS 100)
- Kingsand— Good (GBWS 85)
- Long Rock— Excellent (GBWS 100)
- Lusty Glaze— Excellent (GBWS 100)
- Maenporth— Excellent (GBWS 100)
- Marazion— Excellent (GBWS 100)
- Mawgan Porth— Excellent (GBWS 100)
- Mexico Towans— Excellent (GBWS 100)
- Millendreath— Excellent (GBWS 100)
- Mother Ivey`s Bay— Excellent (GBWS 100)
- Northcott Mouth— Excellent (GBWS 100)
- Par Sands— Good (GBWS 85)
- Pendower— Excellent (GBWS 100)
- Pentewan— Excellent (GBWS 100)
- Penzance— Excellent (GBWS 100)
- Perranporth— Good (GBWS 85)
- Perranporth Penhale Sands— Excellent (GBWS 100)
- Perranuthnoe— Excellent (GBWS 100)
- Poldhu Cove— Excellent (GBWS 100)
- Polkerris— Excellent (GBWS 100)
- Polstreath— Excellent (GBWS 100)
- Polurrian Cove— Excellent (GBWS 100)
- Polzeath— Excellent (GBWS 100)
- Porth— Good (GBWS 85)
- Porthallow— Excellent (GBWS 100)
- Porthcothan— Excellent (GBWS 100)
- Porthcurnick— Excellent (GBWS 100)
- Porthcurno— Excellent (GBWS 100)
- Porthgwidden— Excellent (GBWS 100)
- Porthkidney Sands— Excellent (GBWS 100)
- Porthleven Sands— Excellent (GBWS 100)
- Porthluney— Sufficient (GBWS 57)
- Porthmeor— Excellent (GBWS 100)
- Porthminster— Excellent (GBWS 100)
- Porthoustock— Excellent (GBWS 100)
- Porthpean— Excellent (GBWS 100)
- Porthtowan— Excellent (GBWS 100)
- Portmellon— Excellent (GBWS 100)
- Portreath— Excellent (GBWS 100)
- Portwrinkle— Excellent (GBWS 100)
- Praa Sands East— Excellent (GBWS 100)
- Praa Sands West— Excellent (GBWS 100)
- Readymoney Cove— Good (GBWS 85)
- Sandymouth— Excellent (GBWS 100)
- Seaton (Cornwall)— Excellent (GBWS 100)
- Sennen— Excellent (GBWS 100)
- Sharrow— Excellent (GBWS 100)
- Shorthorn Beach— Excellent (GBWS 100)
- Summerleaze— Excellent (GBWS 100)
- Swanpool— Excellent (GBWS 100)
- Tolcarne— Excellent (GBWS 100)
- Towan— Excellent (GBWS 100)
- Trebarwith Strand— Good (GBWS 85)
- Tregonhawke— Excellent (GBWS 100)
- Trevaunance Cove— Excellent (GBWS 100)
- Trevone Bay— Excellent (GBWS 100)
- Treyarnon Bay— Excellent (GBWS 100)
- Upton Towans— Excellent (GBWS 100)
- Vault Beach— Excellent (GBWS 100)
- Watergate Bay— Excellent (GBWS 100)
- Wherry Town— Excellent (GBWS 100)
- Widemouth Sand— Excellent (GBWS 100)
Contains public sector information published by Environment Agency and licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: Environment Agency — Bathing Water Quality API (bathing season 2025 (latest completed season), published 2026 (annual publication)).