Slight improvement in water quality at bathing sites, new figures show

The number of monitored bathing sites in England meeting minimum standards for water quality has risen slightly since last year, according to new figures from the Environment Agency.

Out of the 449 sites regularly tested this summer, 93% met minimum standards for levels of bacteria in the water, linked to sewage spills, agricultural pollution and other factors. That is better than the 92% of 2024.

Overall, 32 sites were rated “poor” – down from 37 in 2024, which was the worst year since the new measurement system began in 2015.

The government said its reforms to bathing water rules will help further, but campaigners said that swimming in England’s rivers was still too often risky to health.

Water Minister Emma Hardy said: “These changes sit alongside our wider action to clean up our waterways so communities across the country can enjoy the places they care about most.”

A spokesperson for industry body Water UK said that the quality of England’s bathing water remains high and that companies have a plan to reduce sewage spills.

Alan Lovell, chair of the Environment Agency (EA), said: “Bathing water quality in England has improved significantly over recent decades, and this year’s results show the continued impact of strong regulation, investment and partnership working.”

“But we know there is more to do, and the new bathing water reforms will strengthen the way these much-loved places are managed,” he said.

The EA monitors levels of bacteria at bathing water sites in rivers, lakes and the sea across England between May and September each year.

Levels of bacteria are affected by pollution from sewage spills, agriculture and other sources – but can also be affected by the weather.

The latest figures cover the period from 2022 to 2025, where measurements are available.

They show a rise in the percentage of sites with the top rating of “excellent” to 66%, up from 64% last year.

The percentage of sites rated “poor” – failing to meet minimum standards – fell from 8% to 7%. But that is still the second highest figure over the past decade.

More bathing sites have been added in recent years, effectively requiring more places to meet the highest standards for people to be able to swim.

A large chunk of the sites added in 2024 were rated as poor last year, which can complicate comparisons.

But there has been mounting criticism of water quality in rivers in particular, as more data has become available.

James Wallace, chief executive of River Action UK, described the results as “deeply concerning”.

“Despite being our most protected river sites, the government’s own data shows that swimming in our inland bathing waters carries significant health risks, underlining the failure of regulators to hold polluters to account,” he said.

A spokesperson for Water UK said: “These results show that the quality of English bathing water remains high with 87% achieving a ‘good’ or ‘excellent’ rating. This is a stark contrast to the 1990s when less than a third of bathing waters would have met today’s standards.”

The latest figures come after the EA gave England’s water companies their worst ever combined marks last month for their environmental performance in 2024, amid a spike in serious pollution incidents.

And in July a landmark review of the “failing” water sector in England and Wales recommended stronger regulation to hold water companies to account.

But it warned that there would be no quick fixes to improve the state of our rivers or bring down bills.