Defra refutes beach water quality claims

Bosses at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) have hit back at reports that the organisation is encouraging councils to "de-designate" swimming beaches in order to avoid water quality tests.

In a statement published on its website, the body has refuted suggestions made in the press that it is "secretly helping" local authorities to eradicate swimming beaches.

To qualify as an official recreational area, water quality tests have to be taken to ensure the sea is clean enough for people to use.

Defra insisted it was more than happy to offer advice to councils on water testing and EU legislation, but would not advise de-designation.

Local authorities can apply to have beaches taken off the official list of swimming areas, but strong evidence must be supplied showing that nobody uses the water to swim in.

"It's not something we'd encourage them to do because we want to see more swimming and recreation, not less," the Defra statement read.

Recently, four bathing areas in Ireland were found to have substandard water quality, following tests by the Environment Protection Agency.

Posted by Claire Manning