 Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) have welcomed the improvement in bathing water quality across the UK following the publication of the 2005 bathing water quality results by DEFRA, the Scottish Executive, the Welsh Assembly and the Department of the Environment Northern Ireland.
However SAS warns that it is important to remember that the EU Bathing Water Directive which sets parameters for water quality standards is now 30 years old and therefore outdated when it comes to quantifying public health risk.
25% of UK designated bathing waters are still failing to meet the higher EU Guideline standard on water quality. By only meeting the lower EU mandatory standard, which world health experts consider as presenting a 12 to 15% chance to swimmers or surfers of contracting a sewage related illness, there are still unacceptably high risks for the public in using these waters for recreation.
SAS are keen to see the implementation of an updated EU Bathing Water Directive which is currently undergoing a revision by the European Parliament and Council. It seems likely that from 2008 new bathing water legislation will come into force and that would include stricter water quality standards that will protect the swimmer or surfer's health further but would probably lead to more beaches failing in the UK.
SAS also believe the water industry should be making longer term investment plans that take account of issues such as climate change and make more use of sustainable drainage systems that would reduce the impact of pollution incidents affecting bathing waters at any time of the year.
Richard Hardy, SAS Campaigns Director says: "It's good to see further improvement on water quality to make the UK's beaches even cleaner and safer for everyone to use, however the current water quality standards are outdated and the risks to health are still unacceptably high when using bathing water that only reaches the mandatory standard. We also need to keep a close check on the effects climate change could have on bathing water quality results and its vital the water industry plan for this in its next price review."
For more information please contact Richard Hardy on Tel: 01872 555951.
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