Looking for a safe outdoor swim?

What to do if no spots are scoring green

• Use the postcode finder above

  It checks every overflow within 5 km of your address — even spots without a recent bacterial test still tell you about active spills.

• Switch to all-purpose mode

  Our main safe-spots register shows 1 sampling points with all-green chemistry — useful for paddlers and anglers even where bacterial coverage is missing.

• Check designated bathing waters

  The Environment Agency tests E. coli at designated bathing waters more frequently. The EA Bathing Water Profiles cover ~420 sites with full season data.

Active spills to avoid right now· 14

These are storm overflows currently discharging. Don't swim or paddleboard within 5 km downstream until the discharge has stopped and conditions have settled (typically 48 hours after heavy rain).

1. 01

   RIVER TRENT

   Severn Trent Water · SVT01679 · spilling for 12 weeks

   →
2. 02

   LAVANT

   Southern Water · SWS00496 · spilling for 12 weeks

   →
3. 03

   RIVER GREAT OUSE (NT)

   Anglian Water · AWS00410 · spilling for 45 h

   →
4. 04

   Claydon Brook

   Anglian Water · AWS01511 · spilling for 44.2 h

   →
5. 05

   River Machno

   Dwr Cymru Welsh Water · Cwm Penmachno WwTW Storm Overflow · spilling for 9.7 h

   →
6. 06

   (S) CROOKED OAK STREAM

   South West Water · SBB00109 · spilling for 5.3 h

   →
7. 07

   Tributary of Afon Anghof

   Dwr Cymru Welsh Water · Puncheston WwTW Storm Overflow · spilling for 2.7 h

   →
8. 08

   Nant Cledlyn

   Dwr Cymru Welsh Water · Cwrtnewydd WwTW Storm Overflow · spilling for 1.5 h

   →
9. 09

   unnamed stream River Gwash

   Anglian Water · AWS00706 · spilling for 1.2 h

   →
10. 10

    River Alaw

    Dwr Cymru Welsh Water · Llanfachraeth WwTW Overflow · spilling for 1.2 h

    →
11. 11

    Eastwood Brook

    Anglian Water · AWS01046 · spilling for 1.2 h

    →
12. 12

    An unnamed tributary of Stonethwaite Beck

    United Utilities · UUP01875 · spilling for 1.2 h

    →
13. 13

    Irish Sea

    United Utilities · UUP01713 · spilling for 1 h

    →
14. 14

    RIVER KENSEY (S)

    South West Water · SBB00409 · spilling for 38 min

    →

How “verified safe” works for swimmers

• Bacteria first. We require a recent reading of E. coli, intestinal enterococci, or faecal coliforms — the indicators that determine swim safety.
• Excellent band only. Bacteria must be below the EU Bathing Water Directive “excellent” threshold (E. coli < 500 cfu/100 ml, intestinal enterococci < 200 cfu/100 ml).
• No active spills nearby. Within 5 km, no storm overflow currently discharging. If a recent spill ended in the last 24 hours, the spot is downgraded to caution regardless of test results.
• Recent enough. The bacterial test must be within the last 14 days. Older readings are flagged stale.

Read the full methodology on the About page.