Popular Yorkshire beaches among swimming spots to fail water quality standards

Emily Beament, PA Environment Correspondent & Elizabeth Mackley

28 November 2024 at 7:24 am·2-min read

Scarborough South Bay — -Credit: (Image: Peter Harbour)

Five popular wild swimming spots in Yorkshire have been deemed "poor" due to subpar water quality.

While three of these sites were already known to be failing, two new additions have been identified: Nidd at the Lido in Knaresborough and Wharfe at Wilderness Carpark in West Yorkshire. This comes as data reveals that one in 12 English bathing spots, or around 8% of monitored sites, failed to meet water quality standards this year.

Notably, 4.5% of existing official bathing locations and a significant 67% of 27 newly designated sites, which were previously untested or unmanaged, received a "poor" classification reports Yorkshire Live..

The Yorkshire sites with "poor" water quality are:

Scarborough South Bay, North Yorkshire
Bridlington South Beach, East Riding of Yorkshire
Wharfe at Cromwheel, Ilkley, West Yorkshire
Nidd at the Lido, Knaresborough, North Yorkshire (new designation)
Wharfe at Wilderness Carpark, West Yorkshire (new designation)

North Yorkshire Council's Councillor Rich Maw expressed his discontent with the state of Scarborough's waters, calling it "unacceptable". Scarborough's North Bay has seen a decline from 'good' to 'sufficient', while the South Bay remains at the lowest rating of 'poor', according to the Environment Agency and Defra's annual classifications.

In contrast, Sandsend, Whitby, and Cayton Bay have maintained their 'excellent' ratings, Reighton has improved from 'good' to 'excellent', and Robin Hood's Bay has gone from 'good' to 'sufficient'. Coun Rich Maw stated: "This is unacceptable. Privatisation has failed across many sectors, not least with water. The Government's pledge to strengthen regulation doesn't go far enough in my view.

"Having access to fresh, clean water and safe sewage disposal is a basic necessity. It's unacceptable that a select few at the top reap massive profits from something that's essential to us all."

The issue is set to be discussed at a meeting of North Yorkshire Council's Scarborough and Whitby Area Committee on Friday, November 29. The public can contribute to Defra's consultation on reforming the Bathing Water Regulations until Monday, December 23.

This year's assessment revealed that 37 bathing sites in England were given a "poor" rating. Emma Hardy, the water minister, stated: "These figures are unacceptable and show that too many of our popular swimming spots are polluted."

"That's why we are placing water companies under special measures through the water bill, which will strengthen regulation including new powers to ban the payment of bonuses for polluting water bosses and bring criminal charges against persistent lawbreakers."

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