Holidaymakers planning to visit Somerset for a beach holiday this bank holiday weekend have been cautioned about the water quality at some of the region’s beaches. According to UK travel site Holidayparkguru.co.uk, 19 of the dirtiest beaches in England have been identified, including several in Somerset. The analysis was based on the Environment Agency’s official summertime water quality data, revealing an alarming increase in the number of beaches rated as ‘poor’, with a surge from 13 in 2024 to 19 in 2025.
Beaches with persistent ‘poor’ ratings included those in Cornwall, Blackpool, Weston Super Mare, and Bognor Regis. Additionally, new entrants to this list, such as beaches in Worthing and Lyme Regis, have raised concerns among beachgoers.
Robbie Lane from HolidayParkGuru.co.uk expressed disappointment at the rise in ‘poor’ ratings, emphasizing that efforts are necessary to improve the situation. Despite the concerning findings, he noted that two-thirds of England’s beaches maintain an ‘excellent’ water quality rating, urging holidaymakers to conduct thorough research before visiting.
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Efforts are being made to address the water quality issues, with South West Water allocating funds for investments aimed at reducing environmental impact and enhancing bathing water quality at specific beaches.
The list of beaches flagged for poor water quality reveals several newcomers, with counties like Kent, Dorset, and Sussex represented. It’s essential to acknowledge that popular resorts often comprise multiple beaches and testing points, meaning that a ‘poor’ rating may not be applicable to the entire area.
An analysis of the county-by-county league table for clean beaches indicates Northumberland as the leader in maintaining three-star beach cleanliness, while Lancashire finds itself at the bottom of the table. Somerset, Cumbria, Merseyside, and Kent are also placed in the lower half of the league table.
The water quality data, collected annually from over 400 bathing waters, focuses on England’s beaches and excludes rivers and lakes. It primarily assesses the levels of intestinal enterococci and escherichia coli to determine the presence of ‘faecal matter’ in the water, attributed to sources such as sewage, livestock, wildlife, birds, and road drainage.
Notably, the water quality readings are conducted between 15th May and 30th September, and the Environment Agency has been contacted for comments.