Devon comes out to be one of the cleanest water areas in the South West
Did you know that the South West is one of the cleanest areas in the UK when it comes to bathing water quality? Woolacombe Bay Holiday Parks were interested in the data presented by the Government Environment Agency’s Water Bathing Report, and have compiled the data from Devon and Cornwall over the last 3 years.
The Environment Agency looks at the quality of the water in a specific area from May to September, measuring the levels of bacteria which may indicate the presence of pollution. The aim of the surveys are to ensure the water quality is safe enough on the coast and inland, for leisure such as swimming and other activities. If the Bathing Water Profile has a high ‘excellent’ rating, then the sea water quality is likely to be very clean, benefitting the area and health of those swimming.
Woolacombe Beach comes out with a consistent 'excellent' rating
The data shows that Woolacombe Beach comes out well, consistently achieving the ‘excellent’ rating since 2021 (and prior) up to the present day. This positive data isn’t restricted to Woolacombe, either. The data shows this is a trend seen across a lot of popular Devon beaches, from Bantham to Bigbury-on-Sea, who also stand proud with the excellent rating.
Of course, not everywhere is going to be perfect, with Croyde achieving a ‘good’ rating during 2020 and 2021. However, they picked this up as 2022 approached, and will be sure to continue the excellent trend in years to come.
Certain areas like Instow in Devon received a ‘no bathing allowed’ rating, which is also seen in neighbouring Perranporth in Cornwall. These are rare examples that make up the 3.1%. Results in the N/A category come from areas where bathing is no longer recommended, or the area is closed.
Devon and Cornwall are consistent with the ‘excellent’ rating over the last 3 years
Despite the rare setbacks, the results do speak for themselves in showing both Devon and Cornwall enjoy very clean water quality, benefitting both residents and tourists. Over the last 3 years, 73.8% of areas surveyed were consistently excellent. Meanwhile 23.1% of Devon and Cornwall areas fell short of a consistent excellent rating, like Mothecombe in Devon and Porthkidney Sands in Cornwall both coming out with good ratings.
Certain areas with a good rating gradually improved to be an excellent rating location in 2023, like Pendower and Croyde Bay.
Is the water quality worse near towns and cities?
The bathing report also allows us to see if the bathing score rating gets worse near busy towns and cities. Based on the data up to 2023 at this current time, this doesn’t appear to be the case.
Examples like Plymouth Hoe East and West achieve an excellent rating in 2022 and 2023, with the East location achieving a good rating in 2021. The trend is also seen in beaches near large cities like Exeter, with Dawlish Warren reaching excellent ratings over the last 3 years. This shows it can be possible to have good quality water around busy cities and ports.
This may not be the case however in other areas of the UK, but for Devon and Cornwall this is good news.
Some people may believe the further west you go towards the Atlantic Ocean, the water quality improves. However, this does not appear to be the case, with Newquay resulting in diminishing water quality in recent years. This helps to show there isn’t a correlation between cleaner water quality and the further west you go.
Are the beaches dog friendly?
A lot of families who may wish to visit Devon and Cornwall have a pet dog, leading to some individuals questioning whether they can visit their favourite beach? The good news is Woolacombe is open all year round for dogs, in contrast to other beaches that only allow dogs in off peak times. For example, Blackpool Sands Beach in Devon only allows dogs outside the period 1st April to 30th September.
The dog-friendly beaches chosen for this study include Woolacombe Beach, Bantham Beach, Blackpool Sands Beach in Devon and Harlyn, Constantine and Newquay in Cornwall.
ENDS
About Woolacombe Bay Holiday Parks
Woolacombe Bay Holiday Parks is one of the leading operators of holiday parks within Devon and the UK. A family-run business, they are passionate about reinvesting back into their Parks so that the customer gets the best possible holiday at a reasonable price. They offer caravans, lodges and camping/touring pitches so you can find the right accommodation for your stay.
Contact:
For more information on the story please contact Woolacombe Bay Holiday Parks’ PR representative Thomas Dummer.
Methodology:
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