Bathing water in Burnham-On-Sea will come under scrutiny this week when the Environment Agency starts its annual programme of rigorous quality tests.
Between May and the end of September, twenty samples are taken from each of the 191 European Commission designated bathing waters to check against strict guideline standards.
Environment Agency spokesman Nick Smart confirmed to Burnham-On-Sea.com that the sea around Burnham and Brean will be sampled on May 2nd.
The samples will then be analysed by the Environment Agency’s lab in Starcross, Devon for a range of factors, including types of bacteria that indicate any presence of sewage.
Mr Smart added: “The South West has 1,000 kilometres of coastline, and 191 designated bathing waters. The bathing waters are vital to the region’s economy, particularly in terms of their contribution to the tourism and leisure industry, so it is important for people to know the waters are of a high quality.”
