Proposed changes to the way bathing waters are managed could remove the risk of Scarborough's South Bay being de-designated
Scarborough's South Bay has received a "poor" water classification for the last three years.
Currently if it recorded five years of poor ratings it would be removed from the list of approved bathing waters.
North Yorkshire Council's Principal Coastal Officer - Stewart Rowe - says a government consultation is underway which could change the rules.
The UK government is currently consulting on potential reforms to the Bathing Water Regulations 2013, and these changes could have a number of significant implications for Scarborough and the wider Yorkshire Coast.
End to Automatic De-designation
One of the most impactful proposed reforms is the removal of the automatic de-designation of bathing waters after five consecutive years of "poor" classification. Currently, this means beaches are no longer monitored or considered safe for bathing after prolonged poor water quality. This reform would see continuous monitoring and data collection even in the face of poor results.
Multiple Monitoring Points
The consultation proposes introducing multiple monitoring points at each bathing water site. Currently, Scarborough's South Bay, for example, only has a single monitoring point located off Bland's Cliff. This reform could provide a more accurate picture of water quality across the entire bay, potentially revealing areas with cleaner water.
However, having multiple monitoring points could lead to discrepancies in results, raising questions about how water quality classifications would be determined and whether the location of lifeguard flags and designated bathing areas would need to be adjusted.
Broader Definition of "Bathers"
The consultation also seeks to expand the definition of "bathers" beyond swimmers and paddlers to include surfers, paddleboarders, and other watersport users.
Stewart Rowe says this change would reflect the evolving ways in which people are using coastal waters.
Extended Bathing Season and Dog Restrictions
The consultation also suggests removing the fixed dates of the monitored bathing season from the Regulations. Season dates would be moved into guidance allowing the Environment Agency to adapt the dates to better suit local needs in the future.
Eextending the season, while beneficial for tourism, could necessitate a review of dog restrictions on beaches to ensure safety for bathers and could bring increased costs associated with lifeguard provision, beach wardens, and signage.
While broadly welcoming the ideas Stewart Rowe says that a number of the proposed changes would have implications for Scarborough South Bay and other Yorkshire Coast beaches, he says that just deciding where more sampling points should be would have impacts on many other aspects of bathing water management.
The DEFRA consultation closes on December 23rd 2024 and can be found at https://consult.defra.gov.uk/water/bathing-water-reforms-consultation/
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