The latest bathing water quality results are in—and while many sites remain safe for swimmers, the findings highlight persistent challenges that demand urgent attention. These results echo the warnings and recommendations made at the LGA Coastal SIG’s Coastal Water Quality Summit earlier this year, where councils, regulators, and non-governmental organisations united to collaboratively consider and drive change for our coastal and estuarine waters.
“Clean water isn’t just an environmental issue—it’s a public health and economic priority,” said Cllr Ernest Gibson, Chair of the LGA Coastal Special Interest Group. “The latest figures show progress, but they also underline why we need stronger policies, better data, and year-round monitoring.”
The cross-sector gathering highlighted a series of key challenges that need to be addressed for the health of our communities and environment, these were:
- Emerging Pollutants: PFAS and microplastics—dubbed “forever chemicals”—remain outside current testing regimes, despite growing evidence of their impact.
- Seasonal Gaps: Current classifications rely on summer-only sampling. Experts at the summit called for year-round monitoring and real-time public data to protect water users and support coastal businesses.
- Shared Responsibility: Pollution isn’t just from water companies. Agricultural runoff, road drainage, and misconnections all contribute—requiring a joined-up approach across sectors.
- Public Awareness: Many water users do not understand what a designated bathing water site is, how it is monitored and what is monitored. Clearer messaging and citizen science initiatives are vital. In addition, narratives around water quality are confused due to a lack of messaging around the differences between data sources and how different pollution types impact humans and the environment.
“Communities deserve transparency,” added Cllr Sandra Squire, Coastal Water Quality Member Champion. “Real-time data and modern testing methods will help restore trust and keep our coasts safe for everyone—from swimmers to surfers. Whilst these results are positive, they could be a reflection on the dry summer that we have had rather than any lasting change”
As the voice for coastal communities, the LGA Coastal SIG will continue to advocate for changes to deliver real-time water quality data accessible to the public, expanded definitions of water users under bathing water classifications, modernised testing beyond E. coli to include viruses and chemical pollutants and stronger enforcement and funding for pollution prevention. More information on the Coastal Water Quality Summit see the Report on our dedicated Coastal Water Quality Working Group page.
