More designated bathing water sites would have been rated ‘poor’ in 2022 had all water quality samples been included in assessments, an investigation has found, with regulators accused of a ‘painting a better picture’ of the situation at the expense of public health.

The ENDS report has found that the number of ‘poor’ rated bathing waters in England in 2022 would have almost doubled, from 12 to 22, and there would be 13 fewer ‘excellent’ rated bathing waters if regulators had not applied for Short-Term Pollution (STP) provisions that allowed them to disregard samples taken when ‘no bathing’ warnings have been given.

This insight was given in an August 2023 report by the Environment Agency (EA), obtained by Channel 4 News documentary through a freedom of information (FOI) request and seen by ENDS.

The report also states that if STP samples had been included in the 2022 data, “the number of locations eligible for a Blue Flag Award under the international scheme administered in England by Keep Britain Tidy would also be impacted”.

The briefing uncovered by Channel Four News was provided to the then environment secretary Thérèse Coffey by EA chief executive Phillip Duffy. It referenced how Coffey had noted in a July meeting that ‘no bathing’ warnings may be “adding fuel to the persistent negative narrative from the media and campaign groups about sewage and the state of our water”.

In the note, Duffy wrote: “Pollution predication and no swim warnings ‘play a major part in building the overall macro narrative of an upward trend in bathing water quality”

Duffy also wrote that “the system we use is definitely well regarded and has been cited as best practice by the European Commission”, but added that the EA would “consider the language we use on SWIMFO, and our communications handling more generally”.

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