More bathing beaches are rated excellent for water quality than last year but pollution has worsened since 2006. The Marine Conservation Society Guide rated 421 of 769 beaches as having excellent water quality. This is an increase from 2009 but less than in 2006.
Rainfall and overloaded sewage systems causing combined sewer overflows to operate are blamed. It also warned then several popular beaches including Rock in Cornwall would fail the new EU bathing water rules due in 2015.
A planned £12.5 billion investment in sewerage services for England and Wales over the next five years is, says the Environment Agency (2010), ‘a recognition of how much more work is needed on these hidden assets’. Scottish Water will invest £2.5 billion between 2010 and 2015, building on the £2.15 billion invested between 2006 and 2010 on the Scottish sewerage infrastructure. Northern Ireland recently invested £614 million in its wastewater collection and treatment systems as part of a three year Strategic Business Plan, and in the longer term Northern Ireland Water expects to spend another £3 billion by 2020
Despite this investment bathing water quality is likely to remain a high profile and contentious issue which will inevitable drive yet further investment by the water companies.
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