‘Excellent’ Beaches Hit by Hours of Sewage

By the Editorial Team · Tuesday, September 15, 2026

Several UK beaches rated "good" or "excellent" by the Environment Agency experienced substantial untreated sewage discharges during July and August, with some sites recording over 180 hours of pollution. This discrepancy highlights concerns about the current water quality assessment method, which relies on long-term data and may not reflect short-term pollution events that could pose immediate health risks to swimmers.

Several popular UK bathing waters rated as "good" or "excellent" have experienced substantial untreated sewage discharges during the peak summer months, raising questions about the criteria used to assess water quality. According to recent data comparing sewage discharge incidents with official Environment Agency classifications, some beaches with significant hours of untreated sewage releases continue to hold high-quality designations.

The analysis focused on the period of July and August, during which Surfers Against Sewage recorded the number of hours untreated sewage was discharged into various bathing waters. Despite these discharges, eight of the ten sites with the highest recorded sewage discharge hours retained official ratings of "good" or "excellent" under the Environment Agency’s classification system, which is based on water quality monitoring conducted over a four-year period ending in 2025.

Among the sites listed, Wallasey in Merseyside had the most hours of untreated sewage discharge, totaling 183 hours, yet it maintained a "good" rating. Other notable locations include Readymoney Cove in Cornwall with 159 hours and Moreton in Merseyside with 144 hours, both also rated as "good." Plymouth Hoe East in Devon recorded 133 hours of discharge while retaining an "excellent" rating.

Additional sites along the East Sussex coast showed similar patterns. Birling Gap recorded 77 hours of untreated sewage discharges with an "excellent" rating, Pevensey Bay had 75 hours and a "good" rating, and Seaford experienced 73 hours while also holding an "excellent" classification. Eastbourne in East Sussex saw 89 hours of discharge and maintained a "good" rating. By contrast, St Anne’s in Lancashire and Walney West Shore in Cumbria had fewer discharge hours, 125 and 68 respectively, but were rated only as "sufficient."

The Environment Agency’s ratings rely on long-term water quality data rather than short-term incidents, meaning that sporadic or seasonal pollution spikes may not immediately impact the official classification of bathing water. Individual test results sampled during the current summer are typically posted within two to five days but are not incorporated into the rating system until subsequent full monitoring cycles.

This disparity between official water quality ratings and recent sewage discharge incidents has prompted concerns from environmental groups about public health and the transparency of information. Critics argue that promoting beaches with frequent sewage discharges as "good" or "excellent" may mislead the public about potential risks, while agency officials emphasize that long-term data provide a more reliable indicator of overall water quality.

As bathing season continues, ongoing monitoring and reporting remain crucial to ensuring swimmer safety and maintaining public confidence in British coastal waters.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.