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Home > Health and Social Care > Environmental Health > Water Quality > Bathing Water: Annual Summaries

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Water Quality Standards

 
The Statutory Standards imposed by the Bathing Waters (Classification) Regulations 1991 (Statutory Instrument No. 1597), incorporate into English Law the water quality standards laid down by the EEC Bathing Waters Directive. The Environmental Water Quality Standards for these organisms are set out below.
 
Microbiological Parameters
Guideline Values
Mandatory Standards
Units
Minimum Sampling Frequency
Total Coliforms
500 (80% Samples)
10,000 (95% Samples)
Per 100ml
Fortnightly
Faecal Coliforms
100 (80% Samples)
2,000 (95% Samples)
Per 100ml
Fortnightly
Faecal Streptococci
100 (90% Samples)
-
Per 100ml
Carried Out if Suspected of being Present
Salmonellae
-
0 (95% Samples)
Per
litre
Carried Out if Suspected of being Present
Entero-viruses
-
0 (95% Samples)
Per 10 litres
Carried Out if Suspected of being Present
 
Water Quality Standards (WQS) as they appear in the Bathing Waters Directive (76/160/EEC)
 
Samples are taken at least fortnightly from up to 15 sites across mainland Havant & Hayling Island. Each sample is tested for the biological indicators of sewage discharge; Coliforms, Faecal Coliforms (E.Coli sp.), and Faecal Streptococci. 
 
Each Sample must comply with the respective standards for each parameter tested, and is given an overall classification based upon the highest recorded value (i.e. lowest standard achieved). For example, if one of the 3 parameters routinely tested fails to meet the mandatory standard (with reference to the table above), the overall sample category is recorded as "poor".  Similarly a sample may only achieve "excellent" status if all biological parameters fall below the respective guideline values.
 
Each Sampling Site must also meet the standards of percentage compliance for each parameter; and again, the overall site category is based upon the lowest percentage compliance (lowest standard achieved).
 
The water quality standards for the European Blue Flag awards are taken from the ‘Guideline’ values of the Bathing Waters Directive, and this is the standard against which Havant’s Beaches are assessed.
 
Bathing Waters Directive compliance criteria have been explicitly formulated for the protection of bathers (swimmers); and are not strictly intended for application to exposure when participating in other watersports (kayaking, surfing, sailing, or windsurfing for example). 
 
Havant Borough Council monitor coastal water quality at a range of locations to give a broad picture of recreational water quality across the borough in general; although sampling is limited to the bathing season (May-September) as this is the period that beaches are expected to receive the greatest volume of visitors for both bathing & water sports.
 
The overall water quality for the bathing season for 2008 is given in Table 2 for each monitoring point (designated bathing beaches have multiple monitoring points).  
 
Links to previous years summaries can be found at the bottom of this page.
 
 
Bathing beach monitoring points are highlighted in * bold text.
 
 
Overall Site Category 2008
(For Period 01/04/2008 to 30/09/2008)
Site
Poor
Good
Excellent
11  Emsworth Mill Pond E

 

X

 
12  Emsworth Mill Pond W
X

 

 
13  Inn on the Beach *
 

 

X

14  Chichester Avenue
 

 

X

15  Sandy Point
   

X

16  Emsworth Harbour
 

X

 
17  Hayling Bridge

 

X  
18  Harts Farm Way

X

   
19  Langstone Harbour
 

 

X

20  Ferry Point
 

 

X

21  Hayling Seafront W *
 

 

X

22  Hayling Seafront C *
 

 

X

23  Hayling Seafront E *
 

 

X

24  Langstone Harbour

 

 

X

26  Langstone Hotel
 

 

X
Sampling Sites Meeting the Statutory Water Quality Standards (WQS) for the 2008
Bathing Season.  Poor = Failure to meet statutory WQS ;   Good = Statutory WQS met;
Excellent = Guideline / Blue Flag WQS met or exceeded.
 
Bathing Season Water Quality Summaries for previous years can be viewed by following the links below: