Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the current SwimFo system in helping the public understand bathing-water risks.

We know that local communities want to have a clear picture of water quality at popular bathing sites. The Environment Agency (EA) publishes sampling information during the bathing season on Swimfo to inform bathers of water quality and provide daily pollution risk warnings. This includes details on over 450 bathing waters, including classifications, pollution sources, and seasonal water quality results. Local Authorities use this information to provide bathing water quality information on physical signs at each bathing water.

The EA has introduced several stabilisation measures to reduce service disruptions and will continue to enhance the resilience of Swimfo ahead of the next bathing season. They are also exploring redevelopment opportunities to enhance its communication and improve its service delivery. This will include working with the public and key stakeholders to understand their needs and preferences for future developments of the system.