New Bathing Water Rules Aim to Boost Safety and Water Quality in South East Cornwall

Residents and visitors to South East Cornwall could soon enjoy cleaner bathing waters all year round, thanks to proposed changes in water quality regulations. In a significant shift since the rules were last updated in 2013, Labour’s Water Minister Emma Hardy is leading reforms aimed at improving both water quality and public safety at bathing sites across the region.

Key Changes to Bathing Water Regulations

The proposed regulations, outlined in a consultation launched today (12 November) by the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) and the Welsh Government, aim to modernise how bathing waters are designated and monitored. Some of the notable changes include:

• Extended Bathing Season: Fixed bathing season dates, currently running from May to September, would be removed to better reflect when people actually use rivers, lakes, and seas. This move could allow for monitoring to extend beyond traditional summer months, enhancing safety for swimmers and water sports enthusiasts throughout the year.
• Inclusion of Water Sports Enthusiasts: The legal definition of “bathers” would be expanded to cover not only swimmers but also paddle boarders, surfers, and other water sports participants.
• Multiple Testing Points and Tailored Assessments: Additional testing points would be introduced at bathing water sites, while underperforming sites would no longer be automatically stripped of their bathing water designation after five consecutive years of a poor rating. Instead, regulators would individually assess each site, taking unique local circumstances into account to avoid damage to tourism and local businesses.

Emma Hardy emphasised the importance of these reforms, saying, “Bathing water sites are the pride of local communities across the country. But the current system is not working for all those who use and enjoy our bathing waters, and reform is long overdue.”

Local Support for Cleaner Waters

Anna Gelderd, Labour MP for South East Cornwall, expressed her support for the proposed changes, which she believes address a long-standing community concern. “These reforms are the first step in the right direction to get our bathing waters cleaned up in South East Cornwall,” Anna said.

She added, “We are lucky to have many beautiful beaches and swimming spots that people in South East Cornwall, visitors from all over the country, and overseas really value and want to be able to safely use and enjoy.”

Public Consultation Open for Feedback

The consultation invites feedback from the public, community groups, environmental groups, farmers, businesses, and local authorities. By broadening participation, Defra and the Welsh Government hope to gather diverse perspectives on the proposed updates, aiming to implement a flexible approach that better serves local needs.

The reform efforts come as South East Cornwall grapples with some of the poorest-rated bathing waters on record, a situation that advocates believe will improve under the new regulations.