What is the Welsh Government doing to improve bathing water quality testing?
We have committed to build on our bathing waters programme by beginning to designate more inland bathing waters for recreation and strengthen water quality monitoring. In Preseli Pembrokeshire, all 14 designated bathing waters achieved the highest classification of ‘excellent’ in 2023.
Bathing water quality testing is undertaken by Natural Resources Wales (NRW) at designated bathing waters during the bathing season, which runs from 15 May to 30 September. NRW conducts their testing programme in accordance with the statutory requirements set out in the Bathing Water Regulations 2013. NRW provides each bathing water with an annual bathing water classification of ‘excellent’, ‘good’, ‘sufficient’ or ‘poor’ based on its water quality results from the last four years. This rigorous monitoring programme ensures that the public is well-informed, and improvements are identified and implemented to protect public health.
As part of our commitment, the Welsh Government is also supporting NRW to better understand how new technology could be used to benefit the bathing water testing regime in Wales.