Staycationers urged to become #WaterWarriors this summer

• Environment Agency study shows benefits of blue spaces to mental and physical wellbeing
• As weather warms up again, visitors urged to “know before you go” to the country’s blue spaces
• Follow some easy steps to help protect blue spaces for everyone

With record numbers holidaying at home this summer, people are being urged to become #WaterWarriors and make the right choices when visiting beaches, rivers and lakes this summer in a new Environment Agency campaign.  

An Environment Agency study has shown that 50% of Brits interact in some way with a blue space at least once a month, with women being most likely to visit a beach for recreational activity. And top of the list of activities is walking, usually with a dog.  

The research shows the value of blue spaces to mental health and wellbeing. People say they feel happier when they are close to them, and are more likely to exercise, which in turn, contributes towards the prevention of cardiovascular illnesses, obesity and cancer.

As people flock to beaches, lakes and rivers this summer, everyone should understand how to protect them now and for future generations, and to use them safely. There are simple actions people can take, whether at home or on holiday, to protect blue spaces for everyone:   

· only flush the 3Ps – pee, poo and paper  

· never pour fats, oils and grease down the sink   

· never flush wet wipes and sanitary products down the loo   

· always take your rubbish away from the beach   

· always bag and bin your dog’s poo   

· never pour waste liquids or throw litter down surface water drains   

Staycationers are also being encouraged to use the water safely and ‘know before you go’ by checking the Environment Agency’s Swimfo website,which provides instant, easy access to information on over 400 bathing waters in England, including the latest water quality classification and, for some bathing waters, when warnings are issued due to the temporary effects on water quality after a rainy day or high tides. 

In addition, joint advice with Public Health England is also available on open water swimming – that’s swimming anywhere that isn’t a public pool – at  Swim healthy - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) . 

David Dangerfield, Director for Water, Land and Biodiversity for the Environment Agency, said:  “With more people than ever taking a staycation and enjoying time in and around England’s blue spaces, be it beaches, rivers or lakes this summer, it’s vital to know how we can all protect them.  

“That’s why this summer we’re calling on people to check the Swimfo site for bathing water quality and follow #WaterWarriors on our social media channels.”  

Notes to editors  

· The Environment Agency plays a key role in protecting water for people’s lives and livelihoods by responding to pollution incidents, regulating abstraction and improving water quality along rivers and beaches.     

· Water quality at designated bathing waters is managed to protect the health of people who come into contact with them, for example through swimming, bathing or paddling.  

· Joint guidance from the Environment Agency and Public Health England provides advice on how to ‘Swim Healthy’ before, during and after open-water swimming.  

· The social benefits of Blue Space: a systematic review - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) details the value of living near or visiting blue spaces and the benefits to mental and physical health.

· The long-term trend for bathing water quality is upward and overall bathing water quality standards are high. The latest classifications from 2019 show that 98.3% of bathing waters met the minimum standard, and of these 72% met the highest standard of Excellent.   

· The latest classifications are based on 2019 data as the effects of the coronavirus pandemic and associated lockdown meant that no classifications were made in 2020. The Environment Agency had to pause routine sampling in the first half of the bathing season last year in order to adhere with imposed restrictions. Once lockdown was lifted, our sampling work began again and a reduced set of samples was taken during the second half of the season.   

· Classifications are made in the late autumn following the end of the bathing water season on 30 September.   

· Results of regularly water quality tests are published on Swimfo throughout the bathing water season.    

· Our Great British Staycation – Dropbox Paper partner toolkit hosts all our creative content for the campaign.  

If you want to avoid the crowds, here are some of the less-visited bathing waters that are classed as ‘Excellent’  

Bournemouth  

· Hengistbury West - a shingle and pebble beach, and part of the west side of the Hengitsbury Headland  

· Christchurch Highcliffe Castle - a sand and shingle beach resort, approximately one kilometre wide, backed by woodland covered cliffs.  

  
Cornwall   

· Porthcurno - a rural sandy beach, approximately 130 metres wide, set in a picturesque cove backed by cliffs.  

· Sennen Cove - a large sandy beach, approximately 940 metres wide, backed by sand dunes  

  
East Anglia  

All along the coast, from Sheringham down to Great Yarmouth are consistently rated as excellent bathing waters (11 in total). Some are very popular with holiday makers/families (like Cromer and Sheringham) but there are some quieter ones. Why not try -  

· Mundesley - a popular traditional seaside resort with a sandy beach and tidal pools  

· Sea Palling  - a small coastal hamlet and has a wide sandy beach with a series of shallow bays formed by man-made reefs just offshore.  

 
 Yorkshire 

 In Yorkshire, the Environment Agency samples at designated bathing waters from Withernsea in the south, up to Runswick Bay in the north. Sixteen of the 19 designated bathing waters are classified as ‘Good’ or ‘Excellent’. Some of the bathing waters are very popular with holiday makers/families but there are some quieter ones. Why not try: 

· Danes Dyke. Flamborough - classified as ‘Excellent’ bathing water quality - a small rural chalk cobbled beach at the southern end of Danes Dyke, just north of Bridlington. The beach is 230 metres in length and is surrounded by high chalk cliffs 

· Cayton Bay - classified as ‘Excellent’ bathing water quality - a rural sandy beach, one kilometre in length with a gentle slope. At low tide rocky outcrops and large areas of the beach become exposed and the water's edge can be some distance away. Also popular with surfers when conditions are right. 

· Reighton - a rural sandy beach with a designated bathing water area of one kilometre in length with a gentle slope. At low tide a large area of the beach is exposed and the water's edge can be some distance away. The bathing water is backed by clay cliffs to the north and chalk cliffs to the south.