Map revealed as Sefton and Wirral's swimming spots ranked for water quality

Check to see where your local swimming spot ranks12:51, 05 Aug 2026Water quality at official swimming spots across the UK have been ranked. As heat waves return to the UK, many of us will head to local beaches and swimming spots to cool off in the water. But while much of England’s bathing spots enjoy excellent quality water, that’s not true of them all. According to the Environment Agency, around one in every 14 bathing sites in England has poor quality water.‌Every year, the Environment Agency (EA) assesses the water quality of officially designated bathing spots. From those, the EA give the water one of five ratings:‌- Excellent – the highest, cleanest class‌- Good– generally good water quality- Sufficient – the water meets minimum standards- Poor – the water has not met the new minimum