Test Alert
British Summer is started !
25 beaches in Dorset are currently sampled for bathing water quality during the summer months (15 May to 30 September) by the Environment Agency.
Throughout the summer the Environment Agency tests the quality of seawater at beaches along the Jurassic Coast, and East coast of Dorset. Currently the tested beaches are:
- Charmouth West, West Dorset
- Eypemouth, West Dorset
- Lyme Regis Front beach, West Dorset
- Portland (Church Ope Cove)
- Portland Harbour (Castle Cove)
- Portland Harbour (Sandsfoot Castle)
- Purbeck (Durdle Door East)
- Purbeck (Durdle Door West)
- Purbeck (Kimmeridge Bay)
- Purbeck (Lulworth Cove)
- Purbeck (Studland (Shell Bay North)
- Purbeck (Studland Knowle House)
- Purbeck (Swanage)
- Ringstead Bay, West Dorset
- Seatown, West Dorset
- West Bay, West Dorset
- Weymouth (Bowleaze Cove)
- Weymouth (Central)
- Weymouth (Lodmoor)
Lyme Regis Church Cliff Beach was dedesignated in 2016. During 2014 the Environment Agency carried out a survey of usage at the beach, which was anecdotally reported to be seldom used for bathing. The results from the survey indicated removal from the list of bathing waters. Defra undertook a consultation in August 2015, and formally removed the beach's designation before the 2016 bathing water season.
We make the information available to the public by displaying it on notice boards. These notices indicate the bathing water quality (excellent, good, sufficient, or poor) at that particular beach.
For further information, and to check beaches in Bournemouth and Poole please see the Environment Agency website.