Cawsand water quality

AMBER

designated bathing water · · South West Water

Cawsand is a designated bathing water in Cornwall, currently rated AMBER for swimming — A storm overflow discharged within 5 km in the last 48 hours. Incoming/high tide may carry discharge closer to shore. Its latest Environment Agency classification is excellent (2025), and 331 storm-overflow spills were recorded nearby in 2025. Below: live risk, recent spills, official samples, rainfall, tides and nearby reports.

Safe to swim right now?
Take care
A storm overflow discharged within 5 km in the last 48 hours. Incoming/high tide may carry discharge closer to shore.
Do not rely solely on this website for health decisions. Check official alerts and use your own judgement. Seek medical advice if you are unwell.

Current status

Risk: AMBER A storm overflow discharged within 5 km in the last 48 hours. Incoming/high tide may carry discharge closer to shore.

  • Active overflows nearby: 0
  • Recent overflows (48h): 1
  • Rainfall (48h): 9.4 mm

Official EA classification

excellent (2025)

Latest official sample

2026-08-05 — E.coli 10, enterococci 10 cfu/100ml

Latest independent sample

None published

Pollution & environment data

9.4 mm
Rainfall 48h
11.3 mm
Rainfall 7d
17
Outfalls within 5 km
331
Spills (2025, official)
23
Spills 2026 so far (live)
1
Spills last 30d
rising 0.63m
Tide now

Recent storm overflows nearby (30 days)

In the news nearby

No recent local news matched.

Storm-overflow spills near here, by year (EDM)

Recent spills near here (precise, SWW)

Full spill history near Cawsand

Download CSV

Every storm-overflow discharge Glanmor has recorded within 5 km of Cawsand, newest first.

24 discharge events
StartEndOutfallDistance
2026-08-25 06:332026-08-25 06:40CAWSAND BAY (C)~0.3 km
2026-07-16 21:152026-07-16 21:45RIVER TAMAR (ESTUARINE)~4.2 km
2026-07-16 20:282026-07-16 21:12RIVER TAMAR (ESTUARINE)~4.2 km
2026-07-15 09:302026-07-15 10:45ST JOHN'S LAKE (ESTUARINE)~4.3 km
2026-07-15 09:012026-07-15 10:00ST JOHN'S LAKE (ESTUARINE)~4.3 km
2026-07-07 12:152026-07-07 16:30RIVER TAMAR (ESTUARINE)~4.8 km
2026-07-07 11:522026-07-07 16:15RIVER TAMAR (ESTUARINE)~4.8 km
2026-06-26 00:122026-06-26 00:13CAWSAND BAY (C)~0.3 km
2026-06-06 10:242026-06-06 12:43ST JOHN'S LAKE (ESTUARINE)~4.3 km
2026-06-06 03:232026-06-06 19:37RIVER TAMAR (ESTUARINE)~4.2 km
2026-06-03 09:462026-06-03 10:31RIVER TAMAR (ESTUARINE)~4.7 km
2026-06-02 04:142026-06-02 04:25RIVER TAMAR (ESTUARINE)~4.2 km
2026-05-18 21:222026-05-18 23:13PLYMOUTH SOUND (E)~4.6 km
2026-05-12 09:212026-05-12 09:23RIVER TAMAR (ESTUARINE)~4.8 km
2026-05-12 09:212026-05-12 09:22RIVER TAMAR (ESTUARINE)~4.8 km
2026-05-02 19:362026-05-02 19:38MILLBROOK LAKE~2.1 km
2026-05-02 14:162026-05-02 15:00CAWSAND BAY (C)~0.3 km
2026-05-02 13:472026-05-02 15:35PLYMOUTH SOUND (ESTUARINE)~4.4 km
2026-02-26 23:202026-02-27 03:04CAWSAND BAY ESTAURINE VIA SWS~0.0 km
2026-02-18 11:432026-02-18 11:57RIVER TAMAR (ESTUARINE)~4.2 km
2026-02-13 18:062026-02-13 18:13MILLBROOK VIA SWS~2.2 km
2026-01-29 22:212026-01-29 22:28PLYMOUTH SOUND (ESTUARINE)~4.4 km
2026-01-23 20:402026-01-23 21:34CAWSAND BAY (C)~0.4 km
2025-08-28 23:192025-08-28 23:49HAMOAZE (ESTUARINE)~5.0 km
38 precise spill records (duration & volume)
WhenDetailDistance
2026-08-25 06:33spill, 7 min~0.3 km
2026-07-16 20:28spill, 44 min~4.2 km
2026-07-15 09:01spill, 10 min~4.3 km
2026-07-07 11:52spill, 219 min~4.8 km
2026-06-26 00:12spill, 1 min~0.3 km
2026-06-26 00:12spill, 1 min~0.3 km
2026-06-06 10:24spill, 139 min~4.3 km
2026-06-06 10:24spill, 139 min~4.3 km
2026-06-06 03:23spill, 974 min~4.2 km
2026-06-06 03:23spill, 974 min~4.2 km
2026-06-03 09:46spill, 46 min~4.7 km
2026-06-03 09:46spill, 46 min~4.7 km
2026-06-02 04:14spill, 11 min~4.2 km
2026-06-02 04:14spill, 11 min~4.2 km
2026-05-18 21:22spill, 110 min~4.6 km
2026-05-18 21:22spill, 110 min~4.6 km
2026-05-12 09:21spill, 1 min~4.8 km
2026-05-12 09:21spill, 1 min~4.8 km
2026-05-12 09:21spill, 1 min~4.8 km
2026-05-12 09:21spill, 1 min~4.8 km
2026-05-02 19:36spill, 2 min~2.1 km
2026-05-02 19:36spill, 2 min~2.1 km
2026-05-02 14:16spill, 44 min~0.3 km
2026-05-02 14:16spill, 44 min~0.3 km
2026-05-02 13:47spill, 109 min~4.4 km
2026-05-02 13:47spill, 109 min~4.4 km
2026-02-26 23:20spill, 224 min~0.0 km
2026-02-26 23:20spill, 224 min~0.0 km
2026-02-18 11:43spill, 14 min~4.2 km
2026-02-18 11:43spill, 14 min~4.2 km
2026-02-13 18:06spill, 7 min~2.2 km
2026-02-13 18:06spill, 7 min~2.2 km
2026-01-29 22:21spill, 8 min~4.4 km
2026-01-29 22:21spill, 8 min~4.4 km
2026-01-23 20:40spill, 54 min~0.4 km
2026-01-23 20:40spill, 54 min~0.4 km
2025-08-28 23:19spill, 31 min~5.0 km
2025-08-28 23:19spill, 31 min~5.0 km
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Water quality — 7-year trend

Water quality improved in 2026: average E. coli was 31% lower than 2025.

YearEA classificationSamplesE. coli (geo-mean)Enterococci (geo-mean)High readings
2019—1314 cfu/100ml13 cfu/100ml1 of 13
2020—310 cfu/100ml10 cfu/100ml0
2021—2021 cfu/100ml22 cfu/100ml2 of 20
2022—2018 cfu/100ml17 cfu/100ml1 of 20
2023—2014 cfu/100ml15 cfu/100ml1 of 20
2024—2014 cfu/100ml11 cfu/100ml0
2025excellent1517 cfu/100ml13 cfu/100ml1 of 15
2026—712 cfu/100ml11 cfu/100ml0

Geometric mean of Environment Agency samples per calendar year (the standard bathing-water statistic). "High readings" are samples at or above 500 E. coli or 200 enterococci cfu/100ml.

Cawsand — frequently asked questions

Is it safe to swim at Cawsand today?

Cawsand is currently rated AMBER: A storm overflow discharged within 5 km in the last 48 hours. Incoming/high tide may carry discharge closer to shore. This is guidance only — also check official alerts and use your judgement.

Has there been a sewage spill near Cawsand?

331 storm-overflow spills were recorded near Cawsand in 2025 (EA Event Duration Monitoring), and 23 spill events have been logged nearby so far this year.

What is Cawsand's bathing water classification?

Cawsand is classified excellent for 2025 by the Environment Agency.

Data & provenance

Last updated
2 h ago (2026-08-26 11:15 UTC)
Sources
Environment Agency (samples & classification), South West Water (overflows), EA EDM (annual spills), Open-Meteo (rainfall & tide). Full list on about.
Confidence
High — official classification, 17 outfalls monitored within 5 km.
Risk model
v0.4
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Sample timeline (JSON) · All beaches (CSV)
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