There has been widespread positive media coverage today, including on Radio 4’s Today Programme, Good Morning Britain, The Times, iNews and The Guardian following our announcement that the government will review rules around bathing waters.
In a consultation launched today (12 November), Defra and the Welsh Government are inviting the public, community groups, environmental groups, farmers, businesses and local authorities to share their views on modernising bathing water regulations to ensure a more flexible approach to designation and monitoring.
Bathing waters are officially designated outdoor swimming sites. England and Wales have over 550 designated bathing waters, which are monitored by the Environment Agency and Natural Resources Wales. Annual ratings classify each site as ‘excellent’, ‘good’, ‘sufficient’ or ‘poor’ on the basis of water quality.
The proposed changes, which will benefit cold water swimmers and other water sports enthusiasts, include the removal of fixed bathing water season dates (which currently runs from May to September) from the regulations to allow for a more flexible approach to monitoring, extending the dates of the bathing season to better reflect when people use bathing waters.
Other proposals include further considering water quality and public safety when applications for new bathing waters are assessed, and ending the automatic removal of bathing water status after 5 consecutive years of a site being rated ‘poor’, to allow time for underperforming sites to be individually reviewed by regulators.
Water Minister Emma Hardy said:
“Bathing water sites are the pride of local communities across the country.
“But the current system is not working for all those who use and enjoy our bathing waters, and reform is long overdue.
“That is why this Government will give more people the opportunity to experience the benefits of our beautiful waters and connect with nature.”
2 comments
Comment by Bethan Jones posted on
I feel one important consideration here would be to ensure that any extension to bathing water access, in terms of months in the year when waters can be used, does not negatively impact wildlife. We need to remember that populations of birds/mammals etc also need space and should have periods of time when they are not disturbed by human activity. We occupy so much of this world on a 24 hour basis that we need to just consider the other occupants of the planet and what needs they also have to thrive in their environments.
Comment by alan wightman posted on
Watch results with hopeful benefits for many communities as failure not an option. The residual problem includes commitment / not of DEFRA.