Water testing under way as bathing season begins

The Environment Agency has begun testing water quality across the South East following the start of the official bathing season.

Speaking to the BBC in Hythe, Kent, Lindsay Faulkner of the Environment Agency said they were looking for bacteria, such as E.coli, that could "make people ill".

It comes as the government body was advising against bathing in Bognor Regis, Worthing and Bexhill in Sussex, as well as Littlestone, Dymchurch and Deal in Kent due to poor water quality on Friday.

However, the majority of designated bathing zones were classified by the Environment Agency as having good or excellent water quality.

Ms Faulkner said there were "multiple reasons" why water bacteria levels might be high, such as human and animal sewage or agricultural run-off.

"We're working with local authorities, water companies and community groups to help identify sources of pollution and put a stop to them," she added.

Water companies spilt raw sewage for a record time of 3.61 million hours into seas and rivers in England in 2024, according to Environment Agency data.

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Southern Water, a major water supplier in the region, along with South East Water and Thames Water, said protecting and enhancing water quality was "so important" to the company.

"Over the last 30 years, the quality of our bathing waters has risen from only 28% meeting public health standards to 84% now rated as 'good' or 'excellent'," it said.

The water company added it would spend £1bn a year on environmental improvement over the next five years.

Ms Faulkner said in some bathing zones sources of pollution were "really easy" to spot as it could be one pipe causing a problem.

"But the situation here [in the Dymchurch area of Kent] is that there are multiple sources," she added. "It appears to be diffuse pollution."

The bathing season officially started on 15 May and will run until the end of September.

During this time, the Environment Agency has said it would be taking more than 7,000 samples at 451 designated bathing waters across England.

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