Britain has been issued an “extreme” heat warning as temperatures hit 30C this weekend.
The HSA has upgraded the weekend’s yellow alert to a yellow heat health alert, covering five regions – South East England, West Midlands, East Midlands, East England and South West.
So, as the UK heats up, you might find yourself tempted to go for a swim.
However, it pays to do your research beforehand and the Environment Agency (EA) provides regular updates on water quality across the country.
this TwitterFacebookSwimfo website There’s an interactive map that highlights areas where EA advises against bathing. The annual rating classifies each site as excellent, good, adequate, or poor based on measurements taken over four years.
Campaign group Surfers Against Sewage provided a similar map, which also marked recent sewage discharges.
Below we take a look at a dozen places across the UK where you should think twice before swimming, whether it’s due to sewage issues or poor bathing.
blackpool north
Blackpool’s North Beach is opposite the Blackpool Tower, between Central Pier and North Pier. The water quality here was rated good in 2018 and 2021, good in 2019, but poor last year.
Bognor Regis (Aldwick)
Aldwick is primarily a pebbly holiday beach, with some sand exposed at low tide. There are eight sewer overflows scattered along the length of this beach, with several more to the east and west. Water quality was rated as good in 2019 and 2021, but dropped sharply to poor in 2022.
Bridlington South Beach
Bridlington South Beach has a sewer overflow that discharges directly onto the beach. A long overflow was constructed in 2014 to divert discharge from Gypsy Race 1.1 kilometers into the sea. Water quality was rated as poor last year.
The Environment Agency has highlighted many places on this list due to water quality concerns
(Yong Fu)
Burnham North Pier
In 2020, the Environment Agency warned against swimming at Burnham-on-Sea’s main beach due to persistent water quality issues, which remain the same three years later.
Jim Florey, the agency’s environmental manager, said at the time: “The EA has issued permanent advice against bathing at Burnham Jetty on Burnham-on-Sea. Water quality was classified as “poor” for five consecutive bathing seasons.
Clacton (Groyne 41)
This is another area where EA permanently advises against bathing. This place in Essex has been found to be bad for five years in a row.
The agency has previously said pigeons were partly to blame for the situation, with the birds dropping their feces into the water as they nest under piers.
Dunster North West
Dunster North West is a large pebble and sand resort beach backed by cabins. It faces the Bristol Channel, east of the famous seaside resort of Minehead. Sewer overflow drains directly into the sea in the middle of this beach. Bathing is not recommended after the sufficient water quality drops to poor before 2022.
The seaside resort Weston Super Mare has poor bathing water in many areas
(Getty)
Hicham
Heacham or Stubborn Sands is a gently sloping sandy beach facing the famous Norfolk seaside resort. The sea here is cloudy as tidal movements stir up the sediment. There is no sewer overflow that discharges directly onto the beach, but Hunstanton has outlets of varying lengths to the sea.
Water quality was considered good in 2018 and 2019, but has dropped to poor in the last two years.
Ilfracombe Wildersmouth
Wildersmouth Beach is another Devon location where EA has permanently advised against bathing. In 2017 alone, 42 warnings against swimming were issued due to pollution risks.
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The local parish council said Instow in North Devon was not a seaside beach and advised the public not to go swimming. This is another place where water quality has been consistently poor and EA doesn’t think it will meet minimum standards for the foreseeable future.
The council also warned that “dog owners should bear in mind that if there are contaminants in the water that may be harmful to humans, they may also be harmful to dogs”.
Surfers Against Sewage also showcases recent sewage discharges across the country
(Surfer against sewage)
Kinghorn (Harbour Beach)
Bathers are advised to avoid the waters of Harbor Beach in Kinghorne, Scotland, due to poor annual classifications. The beach is a mix of sandstone pools and cliffs and stretches for about 500 meters long.
Scarborough South Bay
Scarborough South Bay is a long, sandy holiday beach just below the seafront and is one of the UK’s most famous seaside towns. One sewer overflow discharges directly onto the beach and the other two are located 800 meters and 2.5 kilometers from the bathing waters. Water quality was rated as good in 2021, but fell back to poor the following year.
St Mary’s Bay (Kent)
St. Mary’s Bay is a pebble beach with a large area of sand. There is no sewer overflow that drains directly into St. Mary’s Bay, but there is a sewer overflow nearby. Water quality was considered good as early as 2018, but dropped to adequate the following year and then last year.
North Seton Carew
Seaton Carew North, a small sandy beach resort near Hartlepool in County Durham, has seen drains overflow directly onto the beach in the past 48 hours. Stream and river discharges also affect water quality here, especially after heavy rains.
Seaton Carew Center
At the nearby Seaton Carew Centre, a similar sewage warning has been issued over the past few days. While sewage is not discharged directly onto the beach, issues in the surrounding area – Seaton Carew North – could have an impact on water quality.
Tynemouth Cullercoats
Both ends of the beach are surrounded by piers, which means the area is a safe haven. While Tynemouth Cooler Coats has no direct overflow sewers, discharges flow into the River Tyne, which empties into the sea just south of the bathing waters. The water quality here has been rated as poor every year since 2018.
North Blackpool was one of several areas where water quality fell last year
(Paul Ellis/AFP via Getty Images)
Weston-super-Mare Sandy Bay
Sand and pebble beach resort in North Somerset, approximately 5 kilometers wide, backed by sand dunes. At the northern end is a salt marsh, Sand Point Headland, which is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). Weston-super-Mare STW’s outfall discharges into the sea at Black Rock, 5 kilometers south of Sand Bay. Water quality was rated as good in 2018, dropped to adequate the year after, and dropped again last year.
weston lord
Main Beach is a large stretch of sand with a jetty near the popular seaside town of Weston-super-Mare. Two sewer overflows discharge directly into the sea here – one to the north of the beach and one 2 kilometers to the south. Bathing water quality may also be affected by discharges from surrounding urban catchment areas. In 2019, it was rated Adequate, but has fallen to Poor over the past two years.
Cromwell Pier
The River Wharfe, which flows through the West Yorkshire town of Ilkley, is 160 meters short and popular with swimmers and paddlers. One of the beaches has a sewage outfall in the designated bathing area. Poor water quality was found in 2021 and 2022.
Wolvercote mill flow
The Wolvercote Mill Stream is a fork of the Thames, diverging from the main channel above King’s Lock and rejoining below Godstow Lock. The latest water quality classification for 2022 rates it as poor and bathing is not recommended.
