Unusually wet summer weather was blamed for the deterioration in
quality, as it caused more pollution to be washed into bathing waters.
The Environment Agency said improvements in sewerage infrastructure
by water companies had led to a turn around in bathing water quality
results at several beaches but more needed to be done. Climate change
could make extreme weather a more frequent occurrence, the agency
warned.
Richard Cresswell, Environment Agency director for the South West,
said: “This very wet year has re-emphasised that more needs to be done
by water companies, businesses, farmers and local authorities to improve
the water at Britain’s beaches and meet more stringent water quality
targets, which will come into force in 2015. With even tighter standards
for our bathing waters coming into force we really do need everyone to
take action now”.
The EA noted that 92 per cent of the 193 beaches in the South West
passed the European standards this year, despite the bad weather.