Stantec and the Centre for Research into Environment and Health were commissioned by the OEP to assess how effectively environmental law relating to bathing waters is being implemented in England and Northern Ireland.
The report reviews the legal framework derived from the EU Bathing Water Directive, evaluates how authorities carry out their duties under the Bathing Water Regulations, and compares performance with other UK nations, selected EU member states, and international jurisdictions.
It also examines how well current regulations protect public health and whether they align with wider water‑quality legislation such as the Water Framework Directive and Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive.
This report supported the OEP's report A review of implementation of the Bathing Water Regulations in England.
Disclaimer
This report was compiled by Stantec and CREH in February 2023 on behalf of the OEP. The views provided in this report are those of the contractors and do not represent the opinion or position of the OEP. Some of the analysis in this report was used to inform the OEP’s work