Locals Will Soon Test the Water at Fistral and Par Beaches

Before you wade in at your local beach this summer, you might want to know what is in the water. A new project wants to put that answer in the hands of Cornwall residents.

Noah Law, MP for St Austell and Newquay, is launching a community-led scheme called Water Wardens, with two rallies planned for Sunday 21 June. The idea is to train and equip local people to test water quality themselves, and build a clearer picture of where it is and is not safe to swim.

How the testing will work

Volunteers will be invited to use handheld tests supplied by a Cornish-based water testing company. The tests give calibrated results for bacteria in the water within 15 minutes, in line with Environment Agency classifications.

The project is designed to fill gaps in existing testing. That means adding volunteers and co-ordination to support organisations that already test, and reaching parts of mid Cornwall where no testing currently happens.

Water Wardens will build an evidence base focused on areas that are monitored less, or not at all. A central aim is human health. The scheme promises almost-live information on where it is and is not safe to swim and bathe, working directly with existing groups.

There is a second purpose too. By testing the water themselves, volunteers should be able to spot where the current monitoring carried out by water companies and regulators falls short, and push them to do better.

The two launch rallies

The first rally is at Fistral Beach in Newquay at 10am. The second is at Par Beach in St Austell at 2pm. Both take place on Sunday 21 June.

Attendees will hear from Noah Law, local activists and industry experts, along with an introduction to how the testing will work.

Noah said: “This is a community-led effort that will put water testing into the hands of local people, empowering us to hold water bosses to account, and make sure that they’re taking steps to clean up our beaches and rivers after years of pollution allowed under the Tories.”

How to sign up

People who want to take part can register through the Water Wardens sign-up form here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc8ZRzmtAzVlc_FtkMg1OlowI8YBMhdWa7gPSlNynu6uhraOQ/viewform?usp=send_form