UK Beaches Under Scrutiny as Hundreds Report Illness After Swimming
Hundreds of people who have taken to beaches and other swimming spots across the United Kingdom have reportedly fallen ill, raising fresh concerns about the quality of the country’s waterways.
Marine charity Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) said it has received 765 reports of illness from 406 locations across the UK since the beginning of the year.
The reports come at a time of renewed concern over pollution in British waters, following findings released by the Environment Agency last week.
According to Metro UK, the agency’s findings showed that toxic chemicals were present in a number of lakes, rivers and coastal waters in England, adding to concerns about the condition of the country’s waterways.
SAS said more than half of the reported illnesses occurred during the spring and summer months.
Since May 1 alone, the charity has recorded 322 cases, as people visited beaches during periods of intense heat.
Some of the reports came from beaches carrying the Blue Flag designation, which recognises locations that meet specified standards relating to water quality, environmental management, safety and other criteria.
Among the illnesses reported by swimmers were gastroenteritis and ear infections.
Some people reportedly needed hospital treatment, while others said they were forced to stay away from work for weeks after becoming unwell.
Bournemouth recorded the highest number of reported cases, with 16 people saying they became ill after swimming there.
Croyde Bay in North Devon and Polzeath on Cornwall’s north coast each recorded 13 reports, while Rest Bay in Porthcawl, Bridgend, Wales, recorded 12 cases.
Jo Morley, head of campaigns at SAS, blamed prolonged sewage discharges into Britain’s waterways for the situation.
She described it as unacceptable that people were falling ill after using bathing waters that had received an “excellent” rating.
The latest figures have intensified calls for stronger action to improve the quality of Britain’s rivers, lakes and coastal waters.
The Environment Agency has advised members of the public to check its Swimfo website for current water-quality information before entering any of the country’s 464 designated bathing waters.
The agency said bacteria found in rivers, lakes and seas can contribute to illnesses among swimmers.
Its assessment also found that just over 14 per cent of England’s surface water had good ecological health status.
Several factors were identified as contributing to declining water quality, including sewage discharges, agricultural nutrients washed from farmland and pollutants from urban areas, such as litter, petrol and garden pesticides.
The findings have renewed questions over whether Britain’s waterways are safe enough for the growing number of people turning to open-water swimming during the summer.
