Every designated bathing water in our region has attained either the mandatory or guideline standard during 11 of the past 13 years.
Blue Flag
The European Blue Flag campaign was launched in 1987 and in the UK is co-ordinated by Keep Britain Tidy. Valid for one year, bathing water at credited Blue Flag beaches must meet guideline standards set in the Bathing Water Directive in the previous year, as well as 28 separate beach-management criteria.
As a result of the good bathing water quality in 2011, 17 Blue Flags are flying during the 2012 bathing season in this region. All designated bathing beaches maintained 100% mandatory compliance.
Quality Coast Awards
Keep Britain Tidy also administers the Quality Coast Awards. These have replaced the old Seaside Awards. Of the 48 designated bathing beaches in the Anglian Water region, 17 qualified for this award in 2012. There are also some non-designated beaches which hold the award too.
Good Beach Guide
To feature in the Marine Conservation Society's Good Beach Guide, a resort has to have guideline quality water standards (this exceeds mandatory standards), have had no failing bathing water samples in the previous 12 months and there must be no untreated wastewater discharge nearby. Of the 48 designated bathing waters in the Anglian Water region, 41 are listed as Recommended in the 2011 Good Beach Guide.