The water quality around Brightlingsea has been rated as excellent by the Marine Conservation Society (MCS) in its latest survey of Britain’s beaches.
The 2014 Good Beach Guide lists Brightlingsea’s beaches as MCS recommended, based on water samples taken in the summer of 2013. Beaches at Walton, Frinton, Holland, Clacton, Jaywick and West Mersea also achieved the top grade.
Brightlingsea’s beaches also hold Blue Flag status – a measure of water quality standards, safety, environmental education and information, the provision of services and general environmental management criteria.
The MCS says the long hot summer of 2013 helped improve water quality around the UK’s coastline after several wet summers led to pollution running into the sea from overloaded sewers. Of 734 beaches tested around the UK, 538 – 73% – had excellent water quality, 135 more than in 2012. None of the monitored beaches in the South East failed to reach minimum bathing water standards.
“It’s great news that we are able to recommend more beaches than ever for excellent water quality and it shows just how good British beaches can be,” says MCS Coastal Pollution Officer Rachel Wyatt. “The main challenge now is maintaining these standards, whatever the weather.”
