Photo: Courtesy of Southern Water- their new treatment works at Brighton
The story over the last two decades has been one of steadily improving bathing water quality largely as a result of the massive investment by the water companies in coastal sewage treatment. Now the situation is about to change.
For the last few years bathing water quality has plateaued. In 2015 the new Bathing Water Directive comes into force. This changes the classification of water quality – if the proposed standards came into force today, 10% of English waters would fail. In addition the blue flag status will move to excellent water quality in 2013.
The other change which will have a big impact is that from this year information on water quality and sources of pollution will have to be displayed at all bathing waters and in 2016 classification symbols will also have to be displayed. This sounds like an innocuous change but the impact is likely to be very significant. When major beaches have to display a clear sign saying water quality is not fit for bathing the public relations consequences are likely to be severe.
Further improving bathing water quality is likely to be expensive. The frequency of spills from combined sewer overflows will have to be reduced further and action will be needed on diffuse sources of pollution as well.
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