The number of monitored swimming sites in England meeting minimum water quality standards has increased slightly since last year, according to new figures from the Environment Agency.
Of the 449 sites regularly tested this summer, 93% met minimum standards for water bacteria levels, linked to sewage spills, agricultural pollution and other factors. This is better than the 92% in 2024.
In total, 32 sites were rated “poor”, compared to 37 in 2024, which was the worst year since the new measurement system launched in 2015.
The government said its reforms to bathing water rules would help even more, but campaigners said swimming in England’s rivers was still too often risky to health.
Water Minister Emma Hardy said: “These changes are part of our wider action to clean up our waterways so communities across the country can enjoy the places they care about most.
A spokesperson for industry body Water UK said the quality of bathing water in England remained high and companies had a plan to reduce wastewater discharges.
The Environment Agency (EA) monitors bacteria levels at swimming sites in rivers, lakes and the sea across England between May and September each year by taking thousands of samples.
Bacteria levels are affected by pollution from sewage discharges, agriculture and other sources, but can also be affected by weather conditions.
The summer of 2025 was particularly dry. All things being equal, this should lead to less pollution, with less runoff from precipitation.
The latest figures cover a four-year period, from 2022 to 2025, for which measurements are available.
They show an increase in the percentage of sites with the top rating of “excellent” to 66%, up from 64% last year.
The percentage of sites deemed “poor” – not meeting minimum standards – increased from 8% to 7%. But it remains the second highest figure in the last decade.
Alan Lovell, chairman of the EA, said: “The quality of bathing water in England has improved significantly over recent decades, and this year’s results show the continued impact of strong regulation, investment and partnership working.
“But we know there is still more to do, and the new bathing water reforms will strengthen the way these much-loved places are managed,” he said.
More and more swimming sites have been added in recent years, effectively requiring more places to meet the highest standards for people to swim.
Bathing sites in rivers performed much worse than those at sea, where the vast majority of swimming sites are located.
Of the 14 river sites, only two met the minimum standards. Many of these rivers were not added to the list of monitored swimming sites until 2024, which can complicate comparisons over time.
The EA says river water quality is partly lower because salty seawater can act as a natural disinfectant and the sea dilutes pollutants more quickly. Rivers are also often closer to sources of pollution.
James Wallace, chief executive of River Action UK, described the findings regarding swimming sites in England’s rivers as “deeply concerning”.
“Despite being our most protected river sites, the government’s own data shows that swimming in our inland bathing waters carries significant health risks, highlighting the failure of regulators to hold polluters to account,” he said.
The latest figures come after the EA last month gave English water companies their worst combined ratings on record for their environmental performance in 2024, amid a rise in serious pollution incidents.
And in July, a landmark review into the “failing” water sector in England and Wales recommended tougher regulation to hold water companies to account.
But he warned there would be no silver bullet to improve the condition of our rivers or reduce bills.
Responding to the figures released today, a Water UK spokesperson said: “These results show that the quality of England’s bathing waters remains high, with 87% achieving a ‘good’ or ‘excellent’ rating.
“This is in stark contrast to the 1990s, when less than a third of bathing waters would have met current standards.”
