CLEAN BATHING BEACHES QUADRUPLE IN TEN YEARS

But rising trend may be threatened by climate change

 
The Marine Conservation Society (MCS) today (18th May, 2007) marks the twentieth anniversary of its Good Beach Guide by recommending 494 (63%) of Britain’s beaches for excellent bathing water quality, out of 787 tested. The Society also reports the number of MCS Recommended beaches has almost quadrupled in the last ten years – up from 125 in 1997. The Good Beach Guide 2007 - the only independent, comprehensive guide to bathing water quality in the UK - is published online at www.goodbeachguide.co.uk.

Today’s figures stand as testament to the influence exerted by the Good Beach Guide on the water industry, since 1987, to clean up its act and properly treat sewage disposal to the sea. But MCS believes that the number of beaches reaching its stringent water quality standard may have peaked because storm related pollution, driven by climate change, is now a serious threat to coastal waters.

Thomas Bell, MCS Coastal Pollution Officer, said: “MCS is delighted to recommend over 60% of UK beaches this year on the basis of excellent water quality. This is great news for the thousands of holidaymakers heading to the British coast this summer. We’re also delighted to report that the number of beaches achieving our tough water quality standard is four times higher than ten years ago. Britain’s beaches used to be awash with sewage, and the Good Beach Guide drew a line in the sand twenty years ago for what was acceptable. Today we’re enjoying the benefits of that campaign.”

But three of the last four British summers have been exceptionally dry, and low rainfall boosts bathing water quality because of a lack of storm related pollution. During this period, the number of MCS Recommended beaches has peaked at around 500. Climate change is forecast to bring warmer, wetter winters, and summers punctuated by violent storms and flash floods. This change will substantially increase the pollution pressures along our coast, acting against future improvements in bathing water quality.

Thomas Bell continued: “Heavy rain translates into poor water quality because waterborne pollutants such as raw sewage, petro-chemicals and farm waste by-pass the sewer system and sweep directly from the land into rivers and the sea. This effect was particularly apparent across the UK during summer 2004 and throughout last winter. It’s a serious problem that we believe will worsen in years to come.”

MCS acknowledges the Government’s efforts to address storm related pollution, including a current review of water management strategy and implementation of the new European Bathing Waters Directive. However, the Society believes that specific counter pollution measures must be initiated now, including new investment in sustainable urban drainage systems, a significant expansion of the sewer system to handle large volumes of storm water, and the rapid improvement of an estimated 2,000 failing combined sewer overflows.

The 20^th edition of the Good Beach Guide is published in support of the MCS Campaign for Clean Seas, and is available online at www.goodbeachguide.co.uk from Friday 18^th May. Production of the guide is supported by The Crown Estate and the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI).

Dr Carolyn Heeps, Head of Offshore & Environment for The Crown Estate, said "The Crown Estate is delighted with the continued success of the Good Beach Guide in raising awareness of bathing water quality in the UK.  The Guide has become an important resource for millions of visitors wanting to visit one of the UK’s fabulous beaches."

MCS is working with the RNLI to promote the summer launch of their Beachwise national beach safety initiative, on Thursday 24^th May. Beachwise will encourage the public to always swim at lifeguarded beaches. The locations of lifeguarded beaches are available at www.goodbeachguide.co.uk. Check www.rnli.org.uk/beachsafety for RNLI beach safety information.