Health & Beauty
13 July 2025
13 new bathing sites have opened across the country, in a move the government is hoping will help to restore pride in local areas, give a boost to outdoor and swimming groups and protect ‘cherished rivers and beaches’.
The sites, including the first on the River Thames in London, have now officially received designated status as the bathing water season begins.
The 13 new sites take the total to over 460 bathing waters, covering nearly every coastal county in England as well as several more inland swimming spots.
They will be regularly tested by the Environment Agency throughout the bathing season, helping swimmers to be better informed about water quality and ‘swim with greater confidence’.
While The Rivers Trust has welcomed the news, it remains concerned that bathing water regulation ‘is not currently fit for purpose’.
It says designation should drive not only increased monitoring but also action to bring these sites up to higher standards. However, only two of the 13 currently designated river bathing sites are classified as achieving sufficient or good status and there has been little improvement in the others, some of which have been designated for five years.
The Rivers Trust, while acknowledging that investment in new sewage infrastructure and action to tackle agricultural pollution take time, warns that ‘this is not good enough. Designation means nothing if it does not lead to bathing waters being safer to use, it says.
Under the Bathing Water regulation reforms, as they stand, too many river bathing sites would be automatically refused designation, blocking them from getting the monitoring and investment they require to identify and address issues to improve water quality.
Community-led action and collaboration have been driving much of the work to get bathing sites designated. Citizen science initiatives such as The Rivers Trust’s Big River Watch and self-monitoring of bathing water quality driving applications for designation must be backed up by government support and wide-scale system reform.
‘Whilst we welcome the designation of more bathing waters, most currently qualify for this status in name only. Increasing monitoring of sites carries little weight if action is not urgently taken to address agricultural and sewage pollution that makes the waters unsafe to use. As ever, words are welcome, but action is what’s really needed.’
MARK LLOYD
Chief executive of The Rivers Trust
The designations follow a public consultation; each site received overwhelming public support, with 90% of respondents in favour of designation and a record number endorsing the Ham & Kingston site.
The government’s commitment to improving water quality and expanding monitoring is delivering clear results for swimmers and the environment, with four in five bathing sites being rated as either ‘Excellent’ or ‘Good’.
‘The introduction of these new bathing sites means better monitoring of our waterways, a boost for local tourism, and greater confidence for local swimmers.
‘Following years of indifference towards bathing waters, this government has expanded the number of sites as part of our overhaul of the water sector.
‘We’re committed to generational reform of our water industry and won’t stop until the job is done.’
EMMA HARDY
Water Minister
The Environment Agency regularly monitors water quality at designated bathing water sites and assesses whether action is needed to cut pollution levels – working with local communities, farmers and water companies to improve water quality at these locations.
Environmental officers are on site every week at each of these locations throughout the summer, taking and assessing water samples and publishing that information online for the benefit of swimmers.
‘The growing number of designations across the country reflects the importance communities place in their local environment and water quality.
‘If you’re planning on going open water swimming this summer, I’d advise everyone to get informed – checking water quality and conditions before you go.
‘Across the bathing water season, Environment Agency teams will be out conducting over 7,000 tests across over 460 locations. Through strong regulation and the right data, we will continue to drive improvements to bathing water quality, working closely with local partners to direct investment and target action in the right places.’
ALAN LOVELL
Chair of the Environment Agency
The government will also provide funding towards signage to ensure people have clear access to these new sites.
Bathing water sites play a vital role in connecting people with nature, bringing important social and health benefits and helping towns prosper through increased tourism, delivering on the government’s wider commitment to empower communities to shape how their local environment is protected and enjoyed.
These new designations come alongside recent changes to the bathing water regulations that the government says will modernise the system, helping to ensure it is fit for today and reflects how people use rivers and beaches.
Last year, 93% of England’s bathing waters met acceptable standards for swimming, with 87% rated as ‘Excellent’ or ‘Good’. The government’s new Bathing Water Regulation reforms will allow us to move away from a ‘one size fits all’ approach to better reflect how people use our beaches, lakes and rivers.
This announcement is in line with the Clean Water Bill, announced in the King’s Speech, which will continue momentum on reforms to end weak oversight, stop water companies marking their own homework and restore public trust.
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