Sewage
Pollu­tion

Take an in-depth look into when and where untreated sewage was poured into bathing waters in England from May to September

In this section:

Impact on bathing waters

Sewage at your surf and swim spots

Bathing water designation can be an invaluable tool in highlighting the sewage scandal and ensuring there is a legal obligation to improve the quality of our treasured waterways. But designation does not automatically save you from the stench of sewage pollution. Far from it.

Scroll through the map below to investigate which bathing waters have been impacted by sewage discharges in the 2022 bathing season. See how many times sewage has been dumped onto ‘excellent’ rated beaches, or look at how many hours sewage discharged onto your local beach.

Bathing waters impacted by sewage

The locations highlighted on the map are the bathing waters affected by sewage spills during the 2022 bathing season, with the darker pins representing the worst levels of sewage hours.

These locations have been given classifications by the Environment Agency to help inform water users of the quality of the water, but as you can see from clicking the buttons below, most of the sewage spills have occurred at “Excellent” or “Good” bathing waters. Tap to expand the map below and interact between bathing waters and sewage overflows.

In total, there were 5,504 discharges throughout the bathing season spewing sewage onto designated bathing waters for 15,012 hours. The hardest hit bathing water was Morecambe South.

Figure 7

How bathing waters were impacted during the bathing season

Legend
About this chart

This table shows all the bathing waters that have been impacted by sewage pollution during the 2022 bathing season. The table includes information on the number of sewage discharges, the total hours discharged into each bathing water and the water company responsible.

Rank Bathing Water Name Bathing Water
Classification		 Water Company Sewage
Hours		 Count
of Spills
1 Morecambe South Good United Utilities 3891 238
2 Allonby Good United Utilities 1521 237
3 St Annes Good United Utilities 712 278
4 Seascale Good United Utilities 432 131
5 Plymouth Hoe East Good South West Water 373 303
6 Readymoney Cove Excellent South West Water 339 207
7 East Looe Good South West Water 329 112
8 Cowes Excellent Southern Water 320 114
9 West Kirby Excellent United Utilities 291 85
10 Moreton Excellent United Utilities 267 77
11 Fleetwood Good United Utilities 249 164
12 Wallasey Good United Utilities 248 192
13 Walney West Shore Excellent United Utilities 245 156
14 Newbiggin North Excellent Northumbrian Water 234 86
15 Spittal Excellent Northumbrian Water 210 240
16 Long Rock Good South West Water 195 76
17 Formby Excellent United Utilities 182 77
18 Windermere, Rayrigg Meadow Excellent United Utilities 162 46
19 Southport Good United Utilities 159 147
20 Bexhill Sufficient South West Water 145 31
21 Sandown Excellent Southern Water 140 26
22 Wharfe at Cromwheel, Ilkley Poor Yorkshire Water 131 107
23 Cleethorpes Good Anglian Water 127 73
24 Meols Excellent United Utilities 121 40
25 Porth Good South West Water 115 15
26 Walney Biggar Bank Excellent United Utilities 101 81
27 Clevedon Beach Good Wessex Water 91 21
28 Seaford Excellent Southern Water 86 25
29 Herne Bay Central Good Southern Water 83 31
30 Seaham Beach Excellent Northumbrian Water 81 57
31 Colwell Bay Excellent Southern Water 78 31
32 Marske Sands Good Northumbrian Water 77 46
33 Crimdon Good Northumbrian Water 76 15
34 Redcar Coatham Excellent Northumbrian Water 73 30
35 St Bees Excellent United Utilities 72 49
36 Ainsdale Good United Utilities 62 5
37 Lyme Regis Church Cliff Beach N/A South West Water 61 11
38 Hythe Excellent Southern Water 60 18
39 Scarborough North Bay Excellent Yorkshire Water 56 45
40 Littlehampton Good Southern Water 55 29
41 Allonby South N/A United Utilities 48 46
42 Morecambe North Good United Utilities 46 25
43 Plymouth Hoe West Excellent South West Water 45 59
44 Thurlestone South Excellent South West Water 39 10
45 Seaton Carew North Good Northumbrian Water 38 21
46 Bispham Excellent United Utilities 36 7
47 Great Yarmouth Pier Excellent Anglian Water 34 37
48 Holland Excellent Anglian Water 34 23
49 Redcar Lifeboat Station Good Northumbrian Water 34 15
50 Stokes Bay Excellent Southern Water 33 10
51 Shoreham Beach Excellent Southern Water 32 17
52 Polstreath Excellent South West Water 32 37
53 Blackpool Central Good United Utilities 31 21
54 Warkworth Excellent Northumbrian Water 30 23
55 Seaton (Cornwall) Excellent South West Water 29 6
56 Saltdean Excellent Southern Water 28 15
57 Bognor Regis (Aldwick) Good Southern Water 28 14
58 Folkestone Excellent Southern Water 27 9
59 Meadfoot Excellent South West Water 26 7
60 Mill Bay Excellent South West Water 26 23
61 Blyth South Beach Excellent Northumbrian Water 25 24
62 Ryde Excellent Southern Water 24 14
63 Bembridge Excellent Southern Water 24 12
64 Sheerness Excellent Southern Water 23 19
65 Fistral North Excellent South West Water 23 10
66 Haverigg Good United Utilities 23 28
67 Blue Anchor West Sufficient Wessex Water 23 12
68 Charlestown Excellent South West Water 22 15
69 Windermere, Millerground Landing Excellent United Utilities 22 4
70 Saltburn Excellent Northumbrian Water 22 19
71 Crantock Good South West Water 21 32
72 Poole Shore Road Beach Excellent Wessex Water 20 4
73 Bridlington South Beach Sufficient Yorkshire Water 19 16
74 St Helens Excellent Southern Water 18 7
75 Mothecombe Good South West Water 18 18
76 Seaton (Devon) Excellent South West Water 17 7
77 Camber Good Southern Water 17 5
78 Dartmouth Castle and Sugary Cove Excellent South West Water 16 23
79 Danes Dyke, Flamborough Excellent Yorkshire Water 16 15
80 Silecroft Excellent United Utilities 16 3
81 Whitley Bay Excellent Northumbrian Water 15 17
82 Gorleston Beach Excellent Anglian Water 15 21
83 Burnham Jetty North N/A Wessex Water 15 23
84 Swanpool Excellent South West Water 14 33
85 Beadnell Excellent Northumbrian Water 14 10
86 Exmouth Excellent South West Water 14 11
87 Exmouth Excellent South West Water 14 11
88 Lee-on-Solent Excellent Southern Water 14 3
89 Marsden Sufficient Northumbrian Water 14 8
90 Rock N/A South West Water 14 8
91 Instow N/A South West Water 13 23
92 Budleigh Salterton Excellent South West Water 12 5
93 Beer Excellent South West Water 12 10
94 Tankerton Excellent Southern Water 12 15
95 Woolacombe Village Excellent South West Water 12 4
96 Lynmouth Excellent South West Water 12 6
97 Christchurch Avon Beach Excellent Wessex Water 11 9
98 Blackpool North Sufficient United Utilities 11 7
99 Perranuthnoe Excellent South West Water 11 7
100 Portwrinkle Good South West Water 10 4
101 Seaburn – Sunderland Excellent Northumbrian Water 10 5
102 Filey Good Yorkshire Water 9 6
103 Mundesley Excellent Anglian Water 9 7
104 Bournemouth Pier Excellent Wessex Water 8 3
105 Hope Cove Excellent South West Water 8 7
106 Par Sands Sufficient South West Water 8 4
107 Millendreath Good South West Water 8 11
108 Frinton Good Anglian Water 7 16
109 West Bay (West) Excellent Wessex Water 7 3
110 Lancing, Beach Green Good Southern Water 7 8
111 Ilfracombe Hele Good South West Water 7 6
112 Slapton Sands Torcross Excellent South West Water 7 2
113 Teignmouth Holcombe Excellent South West Water 7 15
114 Sidmouth Town Excellent South West Water 7 2
115 Poole Harbour Rockley Sands Good Wessex Water 7 4
116 Pentewan Excellent South West Water 6 5
117 Shorthorn Beach Excellent South West Water 6 1
118 Salcombe South Sands Excellent South West Water 6 9
119 Trevaunance Cove Excellent South West Water 6 3
120 Silloth N/A United Utilities 6 4
121 Cleveleys Good United Utilities 5 5
122 Pevensey Bay Good Southern Water 5 3
123 Pevensey Bay Good Southern Water 5 3
124 Bognor Regis East Excellent Southern Water 5 1
125 Bournemouth Hengistbury West Excellent Wessex Water 5 4
126 Cawsand Excellent South West Water 5 2
127 Cawsand Excellent South West Water 5 2
128 Withernsea Good Yorkshire Water 5 2
129 St Mildred’s Bay, Westgate Excellent South West Water 5 6
130 Druridge Bay North Excellent Northumbrian Water 5 4
131 Gwithian Towans Excellent South West Water 5 8
132 Charmouth West Excellent Wessex Water 5 13
133 Birling Gap Excellent Southern Water 4 4
134 Harlyn Bay Excellent South West Water 4 9
135 Frensham Great Pond Excellent Thames Water 4 3
136 Eastbourne Good Southern Water 4 4
137 Seatown Excellent Wessex Water 4 2
138 Beacon Cove Excellent South West Water 4 6
139 Swanage Central Excellent Wessex Water 3 8
140 Minehead Terminus Good Wessex Water 3 3
141 Kingsand Excellent South West Water 3 1
142 Hillhead Good Southern Water 3 2
143 Combe Martin Sufficient South West Water 3 2
144 Portreath Excellent South West Water 3 4
145 Mawgan Porth Excellent South West Water 3 3
146 Ventnor Excellent Southern Water 3 2
147 Seaton Carew Centre Excellent Northumbrian Water 3 7
148 Porthoustock Excellent South West Water 3 3
149 Beachlands Central Excellent Southern Water 3 2
150 Poole Canford Cliffs Chine Excellent Wessex Water 2 1
151 Seaton Sluice Excellent Northumbrian Water 2 11
152 Southwold The Denes Good Anglian Water 2 7
153 Ingoldmells South Excellent Anglian Water 2 1
154 Shanklin Excellent Southern Water 2 3
155 Weston-super-Mare Uphill Slipway Sufficient Wessex Water 2 1
156 Lulworth Cove Excellent Wessex Water 2 4
157 Bournemouth Boscombe Pier Excellent Wessex Water 2 5
158 Lyme Regis Front Beach Good South West Water 2 2
159 Westward Ho! Excellent South West Water 2 2
160 Clacton Beach Martello Tower Good Anglian Water 2 2
161 Walton Good Anglian Water 2 2
162 Hive Excellent Wessex Water 2 1
163 Downderry Excellent South West Water 1 1
164 Bridlington North Beach Good Yorkshire Water 1 6
165 Robin Hoods Bay Good Yorkshire Water 1 3
166 Polurrian Cove Excellent South West Water 1 4
167 Ilfracombe Tunnels Beach Excellent South West Water 1 2
168 Leysdown Excellent Southern Water 1 1
169 Hastings Pelham Beach Good Southern Water 1 2
170 Sennen Excellent South West Water 1 1
171 Jaywick Good Anglian Water 1 6
172 Paignton Preston Sands Excellent South West Water 1 1
173 Coverack Excellent South West Water 1 4
174 Portland Harbour Castle Cove Excellent Wessex Water 1 5
175 Watergate Bay Excellent South West Water 1 1
176 Paignton Paignton Sands Good South West Water 1 1
177 Widemouth Sand Excellent South West Water 1 2
178 Porthtowan Excellent South West Water 1 2
179 Wembury Excellent South West Water 1 1
180 Weymouth Lodmoor Excellent Wessex Water 1 3
181 Weymouth Central Excellent Wessex Water 1 1
182 Lowestoft (North of Claremont Pier) Excellent Anglian Water 1 4
183 Porthcurno Excellent South West Water 1 1
184 Great Yarmouth South Excellent Anglian Water 1 2
185 Porthleven Sands Good South West Water 1 1
186 Crackington Haven Excellent South West Water 1 2
187 Porthminster Excellent South West Water 1 2
188 Croyde Bay Good Northumbrian Water 0 2
189 Botany Bay, Broadstairs Excellent Southern Water 0 1
190 Southwold The Pier Excellent Anglian Water 0 2
191 Studland Knoll House Excellent Wessex Water 0 1
192 Clacton Excellent Anglian Water 0 2
193 Tynemouth Long Sands South Excellent Northumbrian Water 0 3
194 Pagham Excellent Southern Water 0 1
195 Seahouses North Excellent Northumbrian Water 0 2
196 Hunstanton Main Beach Sufficient Anglian Water 0 2
197 Summerleaze Excellent South West Water 0 1
198 Challaborough Excellent South West Water 0 1
199 Mablethorpe Town Excellent Anglian Water 0 1
200 Babbacombe Excellent South West Water 0 1
201 Sandsend Good Yorkshire Water 0 1
202 Porthgwidden Excellent South West Water 0 1
203 Bamburgh Castle Excellent Northumbrian Water 0 0
204 Bantham Excellent South West Water 0 0
205 Bournemouth Fisherman`s Walk Excellent Wessex Water 0 0
206 Breakwater Beach (Shoalstone) Excellent South West Water 0 0
207 Brighton Central Excellent Southern Water 0 0
208 Calshot Excellent Southern Water 0 0
209 Carbis Bay Excellent South West Water 0 0
210 Cayton Bay Excellent Yorkshire Water 0 0
211 Christchurch Bay Excellent Southern Water 0 0
212 Church Ope Cove Excellent Wessex Water 0 0
213 Clacton (Groyne 41) N/A Anglian Water 0 0
214 Constantine Bay Excellent South West Water 0 0
215 Cromer Excellent Anglian Water 0 0
216 Crooklets Excellent South West Water 0 0
217 Deal Castle Good Southern Water 0 0
218 Eastney Excellent Southern Water 0 0
219 Felpham Good Southern Water 0 0
220 Goodrington Good South West Water 0 0
221 Herne Bay Excellent Southern Water 0 0
222 Hornsea Good Yorkshire Water 0 0
223 Lepe Excellent Southern Water 0 0
224 Littlestone Good Southern Water 0 0
225 Maenporth Good South West Water 0 0
226 Margate Fulsam Rock Excellent Southern Water 0 0
227 Minster Leas Excellent Southern Water 0 0
228 Norman`s Bay Good Southern Water 0 0
229 Perranporth Excellent South West Water 0 0
230 Polzeath Excellent South West Water 0 0
231 Porlock Weir Excellent Wessex Water 0 0
232 Porthallow Excellent South West Water 0 0
233 Porthpean Excellent South West Water 0 0
234 Portmellon Excellent South West Water 0 0
235 Ramsgate Sands Good Southern Water 0 0
236 Ramsgate Western Undercliffe Good Southern Water 0 0
237 Redcar Stray Excellent Northumbrian Water 0 0
238 Reighton Excellent Yorkshire Water 0 0
239 Ringstead Bay Excellent Wessex Water 0 0
240 Roker – Sunderland Excellent Northumbrian Water 0 0
241 Runswick Bay Excellent Yorkshire Water 0 0
242 Salcombe North Sands Excellent South West Water 0 0
243 Sandy Bay Good South West Water 0 0
244 Selsey Excellent Southern Water 0 0
245 Shaldon Excellent South West Water 0 0
246 Sheringham Excellent Anglian Water 0 0
247 Teignmouth Town Excellent South West Water 0 0
248 Torre Abbey Excellent South West Water 0 0
249 Towan Excellent South West Water 0 0
250 Trebarwith Strand Good South West Water 0 0
251 Trevone Bay Excellent South West Water 0 0
252 Walney Sandy Gap Excellent United Utilities 0 0
253 West Mersea Good Anglian Water 0 0
254 Wolvercote Mill Stream N/A Thames Water 0 0
255 Worthing Good Southern Water 0 0

Source: Bathing Season Return 2022 from The Environment Agency

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