South West bathing waters better but still not meeting European standards

Bathing water in the South West region is meeting quality standards, the Environment Agency says today.

A total of 99 per cent of beaches in the region – 189 of 191 – passed the standard required with the exception of Combe Martin and Ilfracombe Capstone in Devon.

But not all beaches have met the European guideline standard.

Of the 180 out of 191 waters tested to this standard, 11 sites failed to be good enough.

This included Weston Super Mare, Uphill Slipway, Burnham Jetty and Minehad Terminus.

New, stricter standards concerning bathing water will be coming into force in 2015.

Regional Director of the Environment Agency in the South West , Richard Cresswell said: “Farmers, businesses, local authorities and water companies all have a role to play in improving water quality. We need to act now to make the improvements necessary to bring our bathing waters up to the new stricter standards