Folkestone and Hythe, a district that includes a seaside town recently named one of the best places to live in the UK, has been identified as the local authority with the 'dirtiest' sea water in England, according to a new study.
The research, conducted by online tour operator Exoticca.com, analysed the Environment Agency's publicly available bathing water statistics for all designated coastal swimming spots across England. The Environment Agency provides an online tool for checking beach and bathing water quality.
Water quality scores are based on two types of bacteria - Escherichia coli (E. coli) and intestinal enterococci - which can indicate faecal contamination. The study ranked local authorities by their mean bacteria score.
Highest bacteria levels
Folkestone and Hythe recorded the highest mean bacteria score at 3.273, compared to the national average of 1.033, meaning bacteria levels on its beaches were more than three times higher than average.
Littlestone, within the district, had a score of 8.213, making it the third dirtiest beach in England, while Dymchurch scored 4.173, ranking tenth. Both beaches were rated 'poor' by the Environment Agency.
However, two beaches in the area were rated 'excellent': Hythe scored 0.627 and Seabrook scored 0.504.
Council response
A Folkestone & Hythe District Council spokesperson said: “We continue to champion the district as an extraordinary place to visit – whether that be our stunning coastline, breathtaking countryside or world-class creative and cultural scene.
“This council believes there should be out-of-season testing (between October and April) to try to establish the reasoning behind the deterioration of bathing water classifications. We continue to make this case to the Environment Agency and Southern Water.”
Folkestone beach itself ranked 20th on the list of individual beaches with potentially contaminated sea water in England. This comes despite the town's recent popularity, having been named the regional winner for the South East in The Times' 2024 Best Places to Live guide.
Beach accolades
Dymchurch, despite its poor water quality rating, was named best beach in the south east in The Sunday Times best beaches guide in 2022 and received the Seaside Award from Keep Britain Tidy that same year.
A spokesperson for Exoticca.com said: "It’s important to remember that a local authority’s overall average doesn't always tell the whole story for a specific beach. Coastal water quality can change a surprising amount in just a few miles."
They added: “In Folkestone and Hythe, the local authority with the dirtiest water on average. Here, Seabrook’s water is classed as excellent with a score of 0.504 and Littlestone, which is just nine miles away, has the third dirtiest water in the entire country with a score of 8.213. A local authority average gives a great idea of a region's water cleanliness, but it’s always best to look at the specific numbers for the exact beach you plan to visit.”
