 Bathing
Water Quality
The European Blue Flag for Beaches campaign was introduced in 1987 by the Foundation of Environmental Education in Europe (FEEE), and is administered within the UK by the Tidy Britain Group. Beaches which passed the 'mandatory' water quality standards as defined in the EC Bathing Waters Directive 76/160/EEC (http://europa.eu.int/water/water-bathing/index_en.html)were eligible for the award, however, in 1992 the Campaign began using the stricter 'restrictive' guideline values of the Directive as essential criteria. As such the award of the European Blue Flag beach is currently based on compliance with 27 criteria covering water quality, environmental education & information, environmental management, and safety & services. All Blue Flags are only awarded for one season at a time and if some of essential criteria are not fulfilled during the season, or if conditions change, the Blue Flag is withdrawn.
With the introduction of the more stringent water quality criteria
for the Blue Flag in 1992, many UK beaches no longer qualified for
entry. As such, under the new Tidy Britain Group, a new award system
was introduced, known as the Seaside Award (Yellow Flag) which uses
the lower mandatory water quality standards of the EC Bathing Waters
Directive as its basic criterion for entry. The awards are separated
into two categories - 'Rural' and 'Resort'. Rural candidates must
fulfil 13 land-based criteria and Resorts must fulfil 29. If, in
addition to these criteria, the 'guideline' water quality standard
is achieved, a resort or rural beach may receive the Premier Seaside
Award.
Bathing Water Standards at Hornsea
Environment Agency
Link to bathing water compliance information for Hornsea (provided
and maintained by the Environment Agency). By clicking on the button
to the right of the compliance column, further information is given
on sample dates and figures for faecal coliforms, faecal streptococci,
salmonella and enterovirus. Link
to Environment Agency.
For further details on bathing water quality issues, please search
within the general Environment
section.
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