BUDE’S beaches have passed the recent tests on bathing water quality, with their ratings having gone from ‘good’ to ‘excellent’, following work by the Bude Cleaner Seas Project and other community organisations.

Bude Cleaner Seas Project is made up of beach cleaning groups, environmentalists, organisations — such as Cornwall Wildlife Trust and the Environment Agency — business owners and individuals, who are passionate about improving Bude’s beaches, whilst caring for and encouraging others to look after the environment.

Over time, the group has been focusing on improving Bude’s bathing water quality, in an aim to move from a ‘good’ to ‘excellent’ rating.

On Monday, November 7, the Environment Agency released the latest bathing water quality standards and results, with 81 beaches in Cornwall passing, including those in Bude.

In Bude, beaches including Crackington Haven, Widemouth Sand, Summerleaze and Sandymouth received an ‘excellent’ rating. Bude’s Crooklets received a ‘good’ rating.

Conservative MP for North Cornwall, Scott Mann, welcomed the news. In a statement, he said: “I hugely welcome the bathing water results in North Cornwall and across the county. Just 28% of bathing waters nationwide met the top water quality standards in the early 1990s; now 93.2% are rated ‘excellent’ and ‘good’.

“The quality of Cornwall’s bathing water is very important for local residents, tourists and the marine environment, and I know many people will welcome this news across the county and in North Cornwall.”

Of the 81 beaches tested in Cornwall, four more beaches than last year achieved an ‘excellent’ rating.

Cornwall councillor, Joyce Duffin, said: “All the agencies have been working together to improve water quality on our fantastic beaches, which are so important to local residents, as well as the increasing numbers of tourists who visit from the rest of the country and around the world. We can proudly say that all of our bathing water beaches meet or exceed the exacting standards.

“We will continue to work together to ensure bathing waters are maintained and improved further, and ask that the public works with us to reduce pollution as everyone can make a positive difference to help improve the quality of bathing waters in Cornwall.”

The new EU regulations class the ratings based on the level of bacteria in the water, as monitored by the Environment Agency between May and September, with four years of results from 2013 to 2016.

Water can be affected by rainwater running from roads and roofs; run-off from farming land; water company infrastructure; sewage; boats and animals.

On Monday, November 7, the Bude Cleaner Seas Project invited members of the public to join them on Summerleaze beach to mark the improving standards of Bude’s water quality, having created a big banner with ‘excellent’ written across it — a true commemoration of Bude’s ever improving community and marine environment.

Avril Sainsbury, from Bude Cleaner Seas Project, told the Post: “The ‘excellent’ bathing water quality standard is brilliant news for Bude. We also acknowledge that continued hard work is needed, and we will also be continuing to look forwards, continuing to strive for ever improving water quality.

“For Bude to gain and keep an ‘excellent’ standard rating, it relies on everyone in the catchment being vigilant — from farmers, to businesses and individuals. It’s all about the community working together.”