Official 2025 Results — Most Waters Safe
The UK’s Environment Agency has published the latest 2025 bathing water classifications (mainly for England):
- Out of about 449 designated bathing waters, 417 (≈92.6 %) met at least the minimum standard required for safe swimming. (GOV.UK)
- 297 sites (≈66 %) achieved the highest “Excellent” quality. (GOV.UK)
- 87 % of sites were rated ‘Excellent’ or ‘Good’, an improvement on the previous year. (Countryside Jobs Service)
- Only about 7 % (≈32 sites) were classified as “Poor”, down slightly from last year’s 37. (Countryside Jobs Service)
These classifications are based on regular testing for key bacterial indicators (like E. coli and intestinal enterococci) that affect human health. (GOV.UK)
Bottom line: A clear majority of designated bathing waters now meet safe swimming standards, with more “excellent” and “good” rated sites than in 2024.
Why This Matters
What “Safe” Means
Designated bathing waters are routinely tested throughout the bathing season (mid-May to end of September) to make sure they’re free from harmful bacterial contamination at levels that could make swimmers ill. (Water UK)
Standards are:
- Excellent – highest standard of cleanliness
- Good – generally safe for bathing
- Sufficient – meets minimum legal requirement
- Poor – does not meet the minimum standard and swimming is not advised at those sites. (GOV.UK)
Success Stories
Clean beaches in the West Country:
Cornwall and Devon were highlighted as having some of the cleanest and safest bathing waters in England’s latest classifications — with almost every monitored beach meeting top standards. (Hello Rayo)
Local monitoring and community involvement in water quality sampling help inform swimmers and encourage local environmental action.
Government View & Reforms
The UK Government has introduced reforms to how bathing water statuses are regulated:
- Rules that used to strip a site’s official bathing status after repeated poor ratings have been replaced with a system to focus on fixing local pollution issues and keeping sites designated when appropriate. (Government Business)
- More flexible and targeted monitoring is intended to reflect how people actually use water sites. (Government Business)
Environment Agency officials and water sector ministers have said these changes, along with long-term investment and regulation, are supporting continued improvement in water quality. (Government Business)
Caveats & Criticisms
While the headlines are positive, not all UK waters are equally clean:
Inland Rivers
Designated river bathing spots still lag behind beaches:
- Some river spots like the River Nidd at the Lido have again been rated poor for bacterial contamination this year, sparking local criticism and demands for better pollution control. (Harrogate Informer)
- In many cases, only a small number of river sites are rated safe, even though rivers are popular for wild swimming. Independent analyses and citizen scientist sampling have found many inland sites fail hygiene tests outside of official designations. (Surfers Against Sewage)
Broader Water Quality Concerns
Independent reports suggest that while designated beaches often meet standards during the bathing season, overall river and inland water quality across the UK remains poor or unsafe for swimmers in many places — especially outside formally tested sites. (Surfers Against Sewage)
Environmental groups argue that:
- Pollution from sewage discharges, agricultural runoff, and storm overflows still threatens water quality. (Surfers Against Sewage)
- More investment and enforcement are needed to protect both designated and non-designated waters.
What This Means for Swimmers
Most designated sea, lake and some river bathing waters in England now meet safe standards.
A minority — particularly some river sites and a few beaches — are still rated poor and not recommended for swimming. Check local water quality updates before swimming — especially after rainfall or in rivers — as conditions can change quickly.
Here’s a case-study–rich, commentary-focused breakdown of the latest news that the majority of UK bathing waters now meet standards for safe swimming — including what the data shows, local examples, and what experts and communities are saying:
Official Results & National Trends (2025)
According to the Environment Agency’s 2025 classifications for England’s designated bathing waters:
- 417 out of 449 sites (≈93 %) met at least the minimum legal standard for safe bathing water quality — meaning they are classed as Excellent, Good, or Sufficient under UK regulations. (GOV.UK)
- 297 sites (≈66 %) achieved Excellent status, while 95 (≈21 %) were rated Good. (GOV.UK)
- Only ~32 sites (≈7 %) were classified as Poor and not recommended for swimming — a slight improvement on last year’s figures. (GOV.UK)
What this means: A clear majority of designated bathing waters now meet standards for safe swimming, reflecting long-term improvements. (GOV.UK)
Case Studies — Local and Regional Examples
Improved Beaches Across England
Many coastal bathing waters — the most common type of designated site — are among those rated Good or Excellent. These improvements reflect decades of monitoring, regulation and investment by the Environment Agency and partners. (ITVX)
- South-West England (Devon & Cornwall) has shown especially strong performance in recent years, with nearly all monitored beaches meeting minimum standards and many rated excellent, helping boost tourism and local confidence in water quality. (GOV.UK)
Inland Waters Still Challenged
- Rivers and lakes (which have far fewer designated bathing sites) continue to lag behind coastal waters in quality. Some inland spots attract criticism because they either fail to meet standards — or aren’t even monitored — despite growing popularity for wild swimming. (Reddit)
- Community campaigning groups point out that many river swim spots outside official designations are not covered by routine testing, meaning water quality risks can go unreported. (Reddit)
Sites Rated Poor — What That Looks Like
- Some well-known beaches, such as Scarborough’s South Bay or Bognor Regis, have been classified as poor in the latest results, meaning swimming is not recommended there due to bacterial levels. (The Guardian)
- These local setbacks are often linked to specific pollution pressures — like sewage discharges or agricultural runoff — reminding us that progress is uneven. (The Guardian)
Comments & Perspectives
Government and Agency View
Alan Lovell, Chair of the Environment Agency — water quality has improved significantly over recent decades thanks to stronger regulation, ongoing investment and partnerships with local authorities, farmers and water companies. (GOV.UK)
Water Minister Emma Hardy — emphasised that reforms to bathing water designation and monitoring aim to better reflect how people actually use waters, supporting safer recreation and environmental protection. (GOV.UK)
Public & Community Reactions
Positive feedback often highlights that most beaches are now safe to swim at and that long-term government and agency efforts are paying off. (Reddit)
Criticism from swimmers and environmental advocates includes:
- Concerns that some river sites still show poor water quality, underscoring a gap between coastal progress and inland water health. (Reddit)
- Debates over sampling methods and designation boundaries, with some arguing that testing doesn’t always reflect where people actually swim. (Reddit)
What This Means for Swimmers
Safe swimming is more widespread than in past decades, especially at popular coastal sites — a major public health and leisure win. (GOV.UK)
However:
- Not all waters are equal — a minority of sites still fail standards and are not recommended for bathing. (GOV.UK)
- Rivers and lesser-visited lakes, which are increasingly popular for wild swimming, often lack consistent monitoring, meaning swimmers should take added care. (Reddit)
Tips before you swim:
- Check up-to-date information via official Environment Agency tools like Swimfo before swimming. (GOV.UK)
- Be cautious after heavy rain, which can flush pollutants into waters even where classifications are usually good.