September 2, 2024, 4:01 pm | Read time: 3 minutes
The European Environment Agency (EEA), in cooperation with the EU Commission, has examined the quality of bathing waters in Europe. The information obtained is intended to help travelers as well as residents near lakes, rivers, and coasts “make informed decisions about where to bathe.” This can be read in the current publication. So which European countries have the cleanest waters – and where, on the other hand, could bathing even be hazardous to health? Find out at TRAVELBOOK.
Good news first: in summary, the assessment shows high water quality in Europe, and this trend has been emerging for a while. In the 2022 report, the EEA stated that the water bodies examined have been tending to become cleaner for decades. In the current study, around 86% were rated “excellent” according to the quality standards applicable within the EU. However, there was also room for improvement in some areas, as some bathing waters were rated “poor.”
Overview
Details of the European water quality survey
The publication was published as part of the “Zero Pollution Vision” initiative presented by the EU Commission in 2021. This aims to make air, water, and soil pollution-free by the end of 2050. The Bathing Water Directive discussed in this article is only one part of the large package of legislation formulated therein for the care of the aquatic environment; it is intended to protect against possible health risks from bathing.
The current analysis was based on data from the 2023 bathing season. 21,766 “official bathing waters” – including lakes, rivers, and coastal waters – were examined in the EU Member States, as well as 119 in Albania and 196 in Switzerland. The EU Bathing Water Directive, which has been in force since 2006, served as the assessment parameter, focusing on possible contamination with potentially pathogenic fecal bacteria, specifically intestinal enterococci and Escherichia coli.
The European countries with the cleanest waters
In general, coastal bathing waters are cleaner than the rivers and lakes surveyed. Around 89 percent of sea access points were rated as excellent. The figure for inland waters was significantly lower at 79 percent.
Waters in Cyprus, Austria, Croatia, and Greece shine
The countries Cyprus, Austria, Croatia (a beach in Dubrovnik can be seen in the picture above) and Greece emerged from the survey with excellent ratings. At least 95 percent of the bathing waters there are of exceptional quality, which indicates a high level of cleanliness. You can also swim in Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Malta, Luxembourg, and Romania without any worries. All of the bathing waters tested there met the minimum quality standard.
Poor results for 4 EU countries – what travelers need to know
Other countries, however, achieved significantly worse results. According to the study, the water quality in 24 Swedish bathing waters is poor. According to the data, the same applies to 32 bathing waters in the Netherlands, five in Ireland, and two lakes in Estonia.
However, travelers and residents alike can apparently rest assured. According to the publication, water bodies with poor water quality ratings must remain closed for the following bathing season. During this time, “measures must be taken to reduce pollution and eliminate risks to the health of bathers.” Therefore, the risk of bathing in waters rated as unclean is averted until further notice.
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How did Germany fare?
Germany has more than 2000 official bathing areas. An impressive 90.3 of these were rated “excellent” by the EEA. However, there were also five bodies of water that were rated “poor” due to pollution.