What are the latest beach water quality ratings in South Cornwall?
The 2025 results for the monitored beaches in this Beach Notes report are 7 Excellent, 1 Good. Each beach above links to its official Environment Agency profile.
Seven years of bathing water grades
SOUTH CORNWALL'S WATER QUALITY REPORT CARD
Eight monitored beaches, the latest grades and a look back to 2019.
2025 annual results
South Cornwall beach water quality in 2025
7 of the 8 monitored South Cornwall beaches in our guides received the Environment Agency's top annual classification in 2025.
The small dots follow each beach from 2019 to 2025. There is no 2020 grade because COVID restrictions prevented a full season of sampling. These annual results are not a live statement that the water is safe today.
7/8
rated Excellent
Best classification first
South Cornwall water quality report card
Excellent
Good
Sufficient
Poor
No classification
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Excellent2019 : Excellent 2020 : Not classified 2021 : Excellent 2022 : Excellent 2023 : Excellent 2024 : Excellent 2025 : Excellent
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Excellent2019 : Good 2020 : Not classified 2021 : Good 2022 : Good 2023 : Good 2024 : Good 2025 : Excellent
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Excellent2019 : Excellent 2020 : Not classified 2021 : Excellent 2022 : Excellent 2023 : Excellent 2024 : Excellent 2025 : Excellent
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Excellent2019 : Good 2020 : Not classified 2021 : Good 2022 : Good 2023 : Good 2024 : Good 2025 : Excellent
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Excellent2019 : Excellent 2020 : Not classified 2021 : Excellent 2022 : Excellent 2023 : Excellent 2024 : Excellent 2025 : Excellent
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Excellent
Praa Sands
Environment Agency site: Praa Sands East2019 : Excellent 2020 : Not classified 2021 : Excellent 2022 : Excellent 2023 : Excellent 2024 : Excellent 2025 : Excellent -
Excellent
Swanpool Beach
Environment Agency site: Swanpool2019 : Excellent 2020 : Not classified 2021 : Excellent 2022 : Good 2023 : Good 2024 : Good 2025 : Excellent -
Good2019 : Excellent 2020 : Not classified 2021 : Excellent 2022 : Good 2023 : Good 2024 : Good 2025 : Good
How the annual grades work
What the bathing water classifications mean
The Environment Agency bases each annual classification on four years of monitoring results for bacteria including E. coli and intestinal enterococci.
- Excellent
- The highest annual bathing water classification.
- Good
- Generally good water quality under the bathing water standards.
- Sufficient
- The water meets the minimum annual classification standard.
- Poor
- The water has not met the minimum standard, and advice against bathing must be displayed.
Quick answers
South Cornwall water quality questions
Does an Excellent rating mean the sea is safe to swim in today?
No. An Excellent rating is an annual classification based on several seasons of monitoring, not a live safety reading. Heavy rain, runoff and pollution incidents can temporarily change conditions, so check Swimfo and beach signs before entering the water.
Why is there no bathing water classification for 2020?
Official statistics were not produced for 2020 because the coronavirus pandemic severely disrupted bathing water monitoring and laboratory analysis.