Number of water warnings issued prior to heavy rain nearly doubled last year according to EPA

The number of water warnings issued prior to heavy rain nearly doubled last year according to the EPA.

Its new report on the quality of bathing water found the rise in the number of downpours is increasing the risk of contamination from waste, urban and agricultural sources.

Despite this, the water tested at 98% of sites in 2025 came back as meeting the agency’s “sufficient” standard.

The EPA’s Jenny Deakin says local authorities are working hard to keep standards high; “Looking at each beach in turn, looking at the potential sources of contamination, how those sources respond to rainfall when it’s heavy and then taking action targeting teh action to prevent that run-off and therefore the contamination occurring in the first place”.

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