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Water: Standards

Asked by Alison GriffithsConservativeDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled Answered 2 June 2026UIN 2471

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has considered introducing year-round bathing water quality monitoring at designated bathing waters.

Answered by Emma Hardy

The Environment Agency monitors bathing waters during the annual bathing water season which runs from 15 May-30 September. In November 2025 the Government amended the Bathing Water Regulations (2013) to provide the opportunity for flexible, site‑specific bathing seasons and proposals for implementation are now being developed. This reform will allow water quality monitoring to align with when people most use the water, helping to ensure public health information reflects real‑world usage.

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