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Compton Beach: One of the 10 Island beaches rated excellent
10 beaches on the Isle of Wight have been given a top award for water quality.
The Marine Conservation Society says they now rank as 'excellent'.
The charity says it's good news for tourism.
The beaches are Totland Bay, Colwell Bay, Gurnard, Seagrove, St Helens, Sandown - Yaverland, Sandown, Shanklin, Ventnor, and Compton Bay.
Every summer, water quality is assessed at the most popular Island beaches which have been designated as bathing waters under the European Bathing Water Directive (76/160/EEC).
During the bathing season (mid-May to September) samples are usually taken once a week by the relevant authority and tested for bacteria, which indicate the presence of pollution from sewage and/or animal waste.
At the end of the bathing season beaches must meet the legal minimum ‘Mandatory’ standard, which sets values for total and faecal coliforms which must be achieved by 95% of samples taken.
MCS Coastal Pollution Officer, Rachel Wyatt, says the latest figures will be a boost to UK tourism, but it’s not a reason for complacency: "This is a milestone for coastal resorts to be proud of and shows the impact of the Guide over the last 25 years. However, this summer will see the first samples taken under the revised Bathing Water Directive which will replace the current standards with far more stringent ones from 2015. It’s really important that local authorities, water companies and environmental regulators don’t become complacent and take their collective feet off the pedal of continued environmental improvements. If that happens we could see a drop in the number of beaches recommended by us in the future, which could pose a risk to the great reputation that British beaches have."
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