The 2019 bathing water quality results have been published by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and St Annes Pier has once again been classified as ‘good’.
The classification at St Annes North has been reduced to ‘sufficient’, however officers are working with partners to understand this and look at improving the quality.
The bathing water season runs between 15th May and 30th September each year. During this period the Environment Agency tests the water every week for bacteria levels, resulting in 20 samples at each site every year.
These good results have been achieved with contributions from Fylde Council, the Environment Agency, United Utilities, LOVEmyBEACH and the many residents who help with community beach cleans along the coastline on a regular basis.
Since 2011 the Fylde Peninsula Water Management Partnership, made up of public and private sector companies, has worked to increase investment in the area’s sewer network, as well as creating teams of volunteers and businesses to look after the quality of the Fylde Coast’s seas.
At the same time, the Turning Tides partnership in the North West is creating bathing waters that the region can be proud of by working with key local authorities across the region, along with environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy, United Utilities, Environment Agency and the National Farmers Union.
Since its inception in 2012, the partnership has helped reduce the impact of pollution in our sea water from inland, coastal and river sources, protecting bathing water quality and helping to sustain seaside economies.
Councillor Ben Aitken, Chair of the Environment, Health and Housing Committee said “We are pleased that the bathing water quality at St Annes Pier has maintained the good status, and as with previous years we will endeavour to do all we can to improve this to ‘excellent’. We are understandably disappointed in the reduction of status for St Annes North, and are currently investigating why this has happened. Fylde Council Officers will be doing all they can over the next 12 months to increase the quality here, but ask that residents and visitors alike continue helping improve beaches and bathing waters by being mindful of littering, picking up after dogs, thinking about what they flush away and joining in local beach cleans.”
To find details of beach cleans around Fylde, visit www.lovemybeach.org/groups/fylde
