Bathing beaches on Merseyside praised for water quality

May 22 2009 by Alan Weston, Liverpool Daily Post

Aerial shot of Formby beach and the Sefton coast _320

Across the UK as a whole, MCS announced a 16.5% drop in the number of UK beaches recommended for excellent water quality compared to last year – the biggest year-on-year fall in the guide’s 22-year history, and the first time since 2002 that MCS has recommended less than half of Britain’s bathing beaches.

The water quality tests were carried out from May to September, 2008, and coincided with the seventh-wettest British summer on record.

Thomas Bell, MCS coastal pollution officer, said: “A recommended grade means there is very good water quality at those beaches. A basic pass means they don’t quite achieve the highest standard.

“Given the heavy rainfall which occurred last summer, the Merseyside region as a whole has stood up well.”

The MCS bases its beach rankings on data collected by the Environment Agency and water company United Utilities.

MCS blamed the steep drop in water quality nationally on a combination of flood water mixed with sewage gushing from combined sewer overflows, and polluted storm water running off farm land and city streets into rivers and the sea.