Harlyn Bay water quality
AMBERdesignated bathing water · · South West Water
Harlyn Bay is a designated bathing water in Cornwall, currently rated AMBER for swimming — South West Water has a pollution risk warning in place (Amber). Its latest Environment Agency classification is excellent (2025), and 309 storm-overflow spills were recorded nearby in 2025. Below: live risk, recent spills, official samples, rainfall, tides and nearby reports.
Current status
Risk: AMBER South West Water has a pollution risk warning in place (Amber).
- Active overflows nearby: 0
- Recent overflows (48h): 0
- Rainfall (48h): 14.0 mm
Official EA classification
excellent (2025)
Latest official sample
2026-08-17 — E.coli 10, enterococci 10 cfu/100ml
Latest independent sample
None published
Pollution & environment data
Recent storm overflows nearby (30 days)
No spills recorded within 5 km in the last 30 days.
In the news nearby
- South West Water owner says firm must rebuild trust after parasite outbreak · 2026-06-10
- South West Water owner says firm must rebuild trust after parasite outbreak · 2026-06-10
- South West Water owner says firm must rebuild trust after parasite outbreak · 2026-06-10
- South West Water owner admits firm must learn lesson from Devon parasite outbreak · 2026-06-10
- South West Water owner says firm must rebuild trust after parasite outbreak · 2026-06-10
- Antibiotic residues in wastewater found to fuel drug resistance : study - Xinhua · 2026-06-09
- St Michael Mount Cornwall among best wild swimming spots · 2026-07-19
- South West Water owner says firm must rebuild trust after parasite outbreak · 2026-06-10
Storm-overflow spills near here, by year (EDM)
Recent spills near here (precise, SWW)
- spill, 23 min2026-08-27 · ~1.1 km
- spill, 2 min2026-07-18 · ~4.5 km
- spill, 0 min2026-07-18 · ~4.5 km
- spill, 0 min2026-07-18 · ~4.5 km
- spill, 9 min2026-07-01 · ~1.1 km
- spill, 2 min2026-06-25 · ~4.3 km
- spill, 2 min2026-06-25 · ~4.3 km
- spill, 2 min2026-06-25 · ~4.6 km
Full spill history near Harlyn Bay
Download CSVEvery storm-overflow discharge Glanmor has recorded within 5 km of Harlyn Bay, newest first.
9 discharge events
| Start | End | Outfall | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-07-18 15:44 | 2026-07-18 15:47 | RIVER CAMEL ESTUARY (E) | ~4.5 km |
| 2026-07-18 14:45 | 2026-07-18 17:15 | RIVER CAMEL ESTUARY (E) | ~4.5 km |
| 2026-07-01 09:00 | 2026-07-01 09:08 | TREVONE BAY | ~1.1 km |
| 2026-06-25 09:48 | 2026-06-25 09:50 | CAMEL ESTUARY (E) | ~4.3 km |
| 2026-06-25 09:09 | 2026-06-25 09:11 | CAMEL ESTUARY (E) | ~4.6 km |
| 2026-06-18 09:03 | 2026-06-18 09:08 | RIVER CAMEL ESTUARY (E) | ~4.5 km |
| 2026-06-18 08:45 | 2026-06-18 08:47 | TREYARNON STREAM | ~2.2 km |
| 2026-06-17 07:26 | 2026-06-17 07:43 | MOTHER IVEYS BAY (C) | ~1.1 km |
| 2026-03-02 14:43 | 2026-03-03 01:13 | TREVONE BAY | ~1.1 km |
19 precise spill records (duration & volume)
| When | Detail | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-08-27 03:37 | spill, 23 min | ~1.1 km |
| 2026-07-18 15:44 | spill, 2 min | ~4.5 km |
| 2026-07-18 14:43 | spill, 0 min | ~4.5 km |
| 2026-07-18 14:36 | spill, 0 min | ~4.5 km |
| 2026-07-01 09:00 | spill, 9 min | ~1.1 km |
| 2026-06-25 09:48 | spill, 2 min | ~4.3 km |
| 2026-06-25 09:48 | spill, 2 min | ~4.3 km |
| 2026-06-25 09:09 | spill, 2 min | ~4.6 km |
| 2026-06-25 09:09 | spill, 2 min | ~4.6 km |
| 2026-06-18 09:03 | spill, 5 min | ~4.5 km |
| 2026-06-18 09:03 | spill, 5 min | ~4.5 km |
| 2026-06-18 08:45 | spill, 2 min | ~2.2 km |
| 2026-06-18 08:45 | spill, 2 min | ~2.2 km |
| 2026-06-17 07:26 | spill, 17 min | ~1.1 km |
| 2026-06-17 07:26 | spill, 17 min | ~1.1 km |
| 2026-03-03 12:25 | spill, 10 min | ~0.2 km |
| 2026-03-03 12:25 | spill, 10 min | ~0.2 km |
| 2026-03-02 14:43 | spill, 630 min | ~1.1 km |
| 2026-03-02 14:43 | spill, 630 min | ~1.1 km |
Water quality — 7-year trend
Water quality in 2026 was broadly level with 2025.
| Year | EA classification | Samples | E. coli (geo-mean) | Enterococci (geo-mean) | High readings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | — | 12 | 14 cfu/100ml | 13 cfu/100ml | 0 |
| 2020 | — | 3 | 10 cfu/100ml | 10 cfu/100ml | 0 |
| 2021 | — | 20 | 15 cfu/100ml | 14 cfu/100ml | 0 |
| 2022 | — | 20 | 12 cfu/100ml | 15 cfu/100ml | 0 |
| 2023 | — | 21 | 13 cfu/100ml | 15 cfu/100ml | 0 |
| 2024 | — | 15 | 13 cfu/100ml | 12 cfu/100ml | 0 |
| 2025 | excellent | 20 | 12 cfu/100ml | 14 cfu/100ml | 0 |
| 2026 | — | 15 | 11 cfu/100ml | 13 cfu/100ml | 0 |
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.
Harlyn Bay — frequently asked questions
Is it safe to swim at Harlyn Bay today?
Harlyn Bay is currently rated AMBER: South West Water has a pollution risk warning in place (Amber). This is guidance only — also check official alerts and use your judgement.
Has there been a sewage spill near Harlyn Bay?
309 storm-overflow spills were recorded near Harlyn Bay in 2025 (EA Event Duration Monitoring), and 9 spill events have been logged nearby so far this year.
What is Harlyn Bay's bathing water classification?
Harlyn Bay is classified excellent for 2025 by the Environment Agency.
Data & provenance
- Last updated
- 1 h ago (2026-08-27 15:45 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, 6 outfalls monitored within 5 km.
- Risk model
- v0.4
- Download
- Sample timeline (JSON) · All beaches (CSV)
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