On May 1st the Environment Agency started regular bacteriological testing of the water at South West England’s designated bathing beaches. The second round of such tests are underway, and lots of bacteria have been detected during both sets of tests at many Devon and Cornwall beaches.
Here are the test results for just three beaches in South East Devon, Seaton, Exmouth and Sandy Bay
The water quality at the first two is officially classed as “excellent”, but that has evidently not been the case so far this month!
There are other beaches classified as “excellent”on the south coast of Devon where testing has revealed the presence of significant quantities of E. Coli and intestinal enterococci on one occasion so far. They include Sidmouth, Beer, Hope Cove and Bovisand:
Note that the EA’s testing does not differentiate between bacteria originating from human sewage and other potential sources.
To be continued…
