Communities across the country could soon benefit from thirteen new designated bathing spots, giving local people greater confidence to enjoy the rivers and beaches they cherish, Water Minister Emma Hardy announced today.
The proposals include the first ever designated bathing spot on the River Thames in London, which marks a vast transformation in water quality across the river. From it being declared “biologically dead” in the 1950s – to now being a place of national pride.
New sites will see the nation’s total bathing spots increase to 464, helping more people benefit from safer local places to swim, spend time with family and connect with nature. It comes as the Government focuses on delivering improved water quality for swimmers across the country.
After years of indifference towards bathing waters and very few sites designated throughout the 2010s, this Government has taken swift action to expand the number of bathing sites across the country and support water quality, with four in five bathing sites being rated as either ‘excellent’ or ‘good’.
Local communities are being invited to have their say on proposals to designate 13 new bathing water sites, as part of a six-week public consultation. They include new rivers and coastal waters that are already popular with swimmers, reflecting growing public interest in outdoor swimming and connecting with local blue spaces.
Being designated can also bring wider benefits for local areas – from boosting tourism to strengthening community pride in much-loved rivers and beaches.
Water Minister Emma Hardy said
Rivers and beaches are at the heart of so many communities – where people come together, families make memories and swimmers of all ages feel the benefits of being outdoors safely.
Our plans to designate new bathing water sites show how we are backing local ambition and recognising the pride in places that matter most to people.
This comes alongside this government’s generational reform of the water system, that will cut water pollution and clean up our rivers lakes and seas for good.
Claire Robertson, Catchment Manager at environmental charity Thames21, said
This is fantastic news not only for the many swimmers who enjoy these sites, but also for the wider community of river users and the wildlife that depend on a healthy river. Healthy rivers benefit everyone, and these designations mark important steps towards improving water quality and protecting precious stretches of the Thames.
The efforts of Thames21, its volunteers and partners made the proposal for Pangbourne Meadows possible. We are incredibly grateful to the dedicated citizen scientists for their hard work and commitment – we simply couldn’t have achieved it without them. We also extend our sincere thanks to all the individuals, councils and organisations who supported our application.
Other proposed sites would represent the first designated bathing waters in counties including Berkshire – in the area which inspired the Wind in the Willows; and Cheshire – where bathing traditions date back to the Romans.
The consultation follows applications submitted in 2025 and forms part of the government’s wider commitment to empower communities to shape how their local environment is protected and enjoyed. It comes alongside planned reforms to modernise the bathing water system, ensuring it is fit for today and reflects how people use rivers and beaches.
Following the consultation, the government will consider responses before confirming which sites will be designated ahead of the 2026 bathing water season.
Last year, 93% of England’s bathing waters met acceptable standards for swimming. The government’s new Bathing Water Regulation reforms came into force on 21 November 2025, designed to change the ‘one size fits all’ approach and more closely reflect how people use our beaches, lakes and rivers.
Notes to editors
Designated Bathing Waters are regularly tested for water quality throughout the bathing season (15 May – 30 September).
The sites under consultation are
-
Little Shore, Amble, Northumberland, a crescent of sand between the River Coquet and the North Sea popular with locals
-
Newton and Noss Creeks, Devon, a narrow tidal inlet just off the River Yealm in the South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
-
Canvey Island Foreshore, Essex, a unique family favourite sandy beach.
-
Sandgate Granville Parade Beach, Kent, shingle beach enjoyed by swimmers, and kayakers.
-
Queen Elizabeth Gardens Salisbury, Wiltshire, one of Salisbury’s most cherished parks opened in the early 1960s to commemorate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II
-
East Beach at West Bay, Bridport, Dorset, filming location for the iconic ITV drama Broadchurch.
-
Pangbourne Meadow, Berkshire, a meadow and river in the area that inspired The Wind in the Willows
-
River Fowey in Lostwithiel, Cornwall, a scenic tidal river, flowing through the heart of the town
-
River Swale in Richmond, Yorkshire, with dramatic waterfalls over limestone steps
-
Falcon Meadow, Bungay, Suffolk, a riverside community space on the River Waveney
-
River Thames at Ham and Kingston, Greater London, which could become London’s first river bathing site on the Thames
-
New Brighton Beach (East), Merseyside, a sandy seaside resort at the mouth of the Mersey Estuary
-
River Dee at Sandy Lane, Chester, Cheshire, a popular spot for families and water sports
Building on action already taken to ban bonuses, secure record levels of investment and introduce tougher laws, the government is introducing generational reform in the water sector, aimed at tackling problems like sewage pollution before they occur.
On water, the government has
-
Passed the landmark Water (Special Measures) Act, introducing the toughest enforcement powers in a decade, including criminal liability for water bosses who cover up illegal sewage spills and the power to ban unfair bonuses, which in 2025 blocked £4 million pounds in bonuses across six water companies.
-
Ringfenced water company investment, ensuring customers’ money is spent on fixing pipes, reducing sewage spills and improving water quality, not dividends or bonuses.
-
Given the Environment Agency teeth, allowing the regulator to recover enforcement costs from polluters, significantly boost inspections, and issue penalties more quickly without having to direct resources to lengthy investigations.
-
Improved transparency, requiring real-time monitoring at every emergency overflow so the public can see what is happening in their local waters.
-
Boosted protections for customers, doubling compensation when basic water services fail and making it easier for vulnerable households to access bill support.
-
Signed into law a ban on the sale of plastic wet wipes, marking a major step forward in tackling plastic pollution which devastates our waterways.
-
Set out once-in-a-generation reforms in the White Paper, including plans for
-
a new single water regulator, delivering tougher oversight and stronger accountability for water companies.
-
a new Chief Engineer role which will bring back the hands-on checks of water infrastructure.
-
an ‘MOT’ approach for water company infrastructure, requiring health checks on pipes, pumps and more
-
a roll-out of smart metering and mandatory efficiency labels on items like dishwashers and washing machines will help households monitor their water use and cut costs
-
Dedicated supervisory teams for each water company
-
Stronger inspection powers, including the new regulator able to conduct ‘no notice’ inspections
-
Stronger inspection powers, including the new regulator able to conduct ‘no notice’ inspections
-
These measures are underpinned by over £104 billion in private investment, to upgrade water infrastructure over the next five years – the largest programme since privatisation – creating jobs, supporting new homes and cutting pollution.
Reforms to bathing waters include
-
We’ve ended the old rule that automatically removed a bathing water’s status after five years of ‘Poor’ ratings in a row. Now, when a site is struggling regulators will look at the issues affecting the water quality and, where possible, work towards finding realistic options for improving it.
-
We’re bringing in more flexibility to monitoring dates – so that testing can be adapted to suit individual sites and better match when people actually use the water.
-
A third reform, which will look at new criteria for bathing waters, will come into force in May 2026 to allow guidance to be fully developed.
