The Ultimate Guide to Sewage and Swim Safety at UK Beaches

WHO doesn’t love a trip to the British seaside on a sunny day? That is, as long as the water is clean.

With temperatures hitting highs of 30C this weekend, Brits will be flocking to the coastline to enjoy the at some of our best beaches – but before you dive in headfirst, make sure it’s safe for swimming.

Brits will flock to beaches this weekend as temperatures are set to soar Credit: Alamy Here is some advice to make sure the water is safe for swimming Credit: Alamy

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While most beaches are absolutely fine to have a paddle – there are some that you absolutely because of bad water quality and even sewage spills.

in polluted water or water of poor classification can leave people ill due to the likelihood of harmful , viruses, or pathogens like E. coli being present.

The most common illness associated with bathing in dirty water is gastroenteritis, which causes

In most cases these symptoms are mild and resolve on their own – but some cases can be severe and result in hospitalisation.

even did a recent three-part series called based on the into England’s systemic sewage crisis.

The series exposes widespread, illegal raw sewage discharges into UK waterways and the failure of privatised water companies to properly manage environmental regulation.

So, before you go swimming this weekend, and later this summer – it’s important to do some checks first.

Live sewage spills

The best place to check if bathing water has been recently affected by sewage spills is with Surfers Against Sewage (SAS).

The marine conservation and campaigning is fighting to keep our favourite swim spots clean.

Surfers Against Sewage are campaigning to keep our waters clean Credit: Alamy

On their website , you can see which bathing water has been recently affected by sewage as it updates a map with live discharge information.

Louise Reddy, Senior Policy Officer at Surfers Against Sewage told : “If you’re heading to the beach or planning on taking a dip in a lake or river, check the Safer Seas and Rivers Service app.

“This is the UK’s only real-time water quality information service ensuring thousands of water users around the UK can check for alerts, and make an informed choice about entering the water. You can download the app, or view pollution alerts on the web version.

“We shouldn’t need to check for sewage alerts before diving in, however the grim reality is that rain or shine, water companies are dumping sewage into our wild waters, whilst paying out profits to shareholders.

“That’s why we are demanding that the Government takes the bold action needed to restructure the water industry, removing the profit motive and changing the system so it operates for people and the planet.”

Water quality

Check on Swimfo for the water quality of designated bathing waters Credit: Alamy

Swimfo on the government website allows you to look up details of a designated bathing water by name or location and see the quality of its waters.

These are then classified and from best to worst these are “excellent”, “good”, “sufficient” or “poor”.

Where water quality is poor, the water it has a marker along with the words, “Bathing is not advised”.

Be aware, however, that this is based on testing from last year.

Water testing for 2026 will be undertaken 20 times between May 15 and September 30.

If you’re heading to beaches not in England, information about bathing water quality in other countries in the UK can be found here: Scotland (SEPA) , Wales (NRW) , or Northern Ireland (DAERA)

Blue Flag beaches

Bathing waters awarded a Blue Flag will be flying them nearby Credit: Alamy

Across the country, the ‘Blue Flag’ is awarded to spots that are clean, safe, and well-managed.

These were with a total of 61 sites including beaches, a marina and an inland water bathing area have been awarded the accolade.

If you’re heading to a spot this weekend like Whitley Bay, Southwold or , the flag should be flying.

It’s recognisable as a vibrant blue flag with a distinct white circle in the middle and what looks like a blue wave inside.

But there are some instances in which the flag is revoked – for example if water quality drops below the strict standard.

So if you don’t see it on your trip to the seaside, check online to find out why.

Other flags

The red and yellow flag means there is a lifeguard on duty Credit: Alamy

When you get to the beach, check around for other flags which will advise on safety.

If you visit a lifeguarded beach, there will be flags on the beach to show you where it’s safe to swim.

If you’re planning to swim or bodyboard, stay between the red-and-yellow flags as that is where are on duty.

A solid red flags means ‘Dangerous conditions: do not enter the water.’

And of course if the beach or bathing water isn’t lifeguarded make sure to take extra safety precautions.

Check for further safety tips on the RNLI website .