Blue Flag Water Quality at Cromer, Mundesley and Sea Palling - but Not at Sheringham

Summer rain washed out Sheringham's hopes of flying a Blue Flag for bathing water quality in 2008.

Water quality samples taken this summer at Sheringham fell just short of the high standard required for a Blue Flag, according to figures just released by Defra, the Government's environment department. Sheringham's bathing water did, however, meet the 'mandatory' standard required by the European Bathing Water Directive.

Nationally, the number of England's bathing waters meeting the tougher 'guideline' standard needed for a Blue Flag was down from 75 per cent last year to 72.5 per cent this year.

In a statement issued on Thursday (15 November), Defra explained: "The slight drop in levels this year is likely to be due to the exceptional rainfall over the summer. Heavy rainfall can temporarily affect bathing water quality as the flow of water washes pollution into coastal waters and rivers through the sewage network, and increases run-off from farmland and urban streets. Water quality affected in this way usually returns to its normal condition after the rain subsides."

Beaches are tested with 20 samples taken over the season, and all but four of those samples must be 'excellent' to win a Blue Flag. Sheringham's water tested 'excellent' 15 times and only 'good' five times. It is likely that rain water washing detritus into the sea contributed heavily to Sheringham's failure, as the poorer samples were all taken in May and June, when England suffered record-breaking rainfall. Until this summer, Sheringham's bathing water quality had been of Blue Flag quality since 1993.

Cromer, Mundesley and Sea Palling all passed the water quality tests and hope to retain their Blue Flags for 2008. Blue Flags are administered in England by Encams, the environmental charity that runs the Keep Britain Tidy campaign.

Hilary Nelson, North Norfolk District Council Cabinet member for Tourism, said: "It is very disappointing for Sheringham, but it will not stop us promoting the resort as a clean and safe place for a seaside holiday - which it undoubtedly is. The irony is that, because the 2008 flags are awarded on the basis of water quality in 2007, Sheringham could have the cleanest water next year and just not have the flag to prove it. We will do our best to ensure the flag flies there again in 2009, and that includes talking to Anglian Water about what improvements can be made to sewerage and drainage systems."

NOTES FOR EDITOR

• The Blue Flag programme is run internationally by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE).
• 2008's Blue Flags are scheduled to be announced next May. Applications for 2008 Blue Flags should be submitted by the end of this month [November].

For more information see:

• www.defra.gov.uk/news/2007/071115c.htm
• www.environment-agency.gov.uk
• www.blueflag.org.uk

ENDS