Hayle Towans water quality

AMBER

designated bathing water · · South West Water

Hayle Towans is a designated bathing water in Cornwall, currently rated AMBER for swimming — 28 mm rain in 48h (this beach's threshold is 12 mm) — runoff and overflows more likely. Its latest Environment Agency classification is excellent (2025), and 144 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
28 mm rain in 48h (this beach's threshold is 12 mm) — runoff and overflows more likely.
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 28 mm rain in 48h (this beach's threshold is 12 mm) — runoff and overflows more likely.

  • Active overflows nearby: 0
  • Recent overflows (48h): 0
  • Rainfall (48h): 28.2 mm

Official EA classification

excellent (2025)

Latest official sample

2026-08-21 — E.coli 10, enterococci 10 cfu/100ml

Latest independent sample

None published

Pollution & environment data

28.2 mm
Rainfall 48h
32.7 mm
Rainfall 7d
7
Outfalls within 5 km
144
Spills (2025, official)
8
Spills 2026 so far (live)
2
Spills last 30d
falling 1.51m
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 Hayle Towans

Download CSV

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

9 discharge events
StartEndOutfallDistance
2026-08-21 08:152026-08-21 09:15TRIB OF ANGARRACK STREAN~5.0 km
2026-08-21 08:072026-08-21 08:51TRIB OF ANGARRACK STREAN~5.0 km
2026-06-19 05:282026-06-19 05:28HAYLE ESTUARY (E)~1.5 km
2026-06-08 04:232026-06-08 04:51TRIB OF ANGARRACK STREAN~5.0 km
2026-05-20 08:502026-05-21 16:30ST IVES BAY (C)~4.5 km
2026-05-18 23:552026-05-19 03:51ATLANTIC (C)~3.8 km
2026-01-29 17:322026-01-29 18:13ST IVES BAY ATLANTIC OCEAN~3.7 km
2026-01-29 04:432026-01-29 05:55ST IVES BAY~4.3 km
2025-11-14 00:532025-11-14 00:56HAYLE ESTUARY (E)~1.3 km
20 precise spill records (duration & volume)
WhenDetailDistance
2026-08-21 08:07spill, 44 min~5.0 km
2026-08-21 07:46spill, 3 min~1.2 km
2026-06-19 05:28spill, 0 min~1.5 km
2026-06-19 05:28spill, 0 min~1.5 km
2026-06-08 04:23spill, 28 min~5.0 km
2026-06-08 04:23spill, 28 min~5.0 km
2026-05-20 08:50spill, 1900 min~4.5 km
2026-05-20 08:50spill, 1900 min~4.5 km
2026-05-18 23:55spill, 236 min~3.8 km
2026-05-18 23:55spill, 236 min~3.8 km
2026-02-26 09:26spill, 0 min~3.0 km
2026-02-26 09:26spill, 0 min~3.0 km
2026-01-30 14:26spill, 14 min~1.2 km
2026-01-30 14:26spill, 14 min~1.2 km
2026-01-29 17:32spill, 41 min~3.7 km
2026-01-29 17:32spill, 41 min~3.7 km
2026-01-29 04:43spill, 72 min~4.3 km
2026-01-29 04:43spill, 72 min~4.3 km
2025-11-14 00:53spill, 3 min~1.3 km
2025-11-14 00:53spill, 3 min~1.3 km
Take action — email SWW / your MPGot ill here? Build a reportReport pollution

Water quality — 7-year trend

Water quality improved in 2026: average E. coli was 37% lower than 2025.

YearEA classificationSamplesE. coli (geo-mean)Enterococci (geo-mean)High readings
2019310 cfu/100ml12 cfu/100ml0
2021510 cfu/100ml10 cfu/100ml0
20221010 cfu/100ml10 cfu/100ml0
20231014 cfu/100ml13 cfu/100ml0
20241011 cfu/100ml10 cfu/100ml0
2025excellent2016 cfu/100ml15 cfu/100ml0
2026810 cfu/100ml10 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.

Hayle Towans — frequently asked questions

Is it safe to swim at Hayle Towans today?

Hayle Towans is currently rated AMBER: 28 mm rain in 48h (this beach's threshold is 12 mm) — runoff and overflows more likely. This is guidance only — also check official alerts and use your judgement.

Has there been a sewage spill near Hayle Towans?

144 storm-overflow spills were recorded near Hayle Towans in 2025 (EA Event Duration Monitoring), and 8 spill events have been logged nearby so far this year.

What is Hayle Towans's bathing water classification?

Hayle Towans 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, 7 outfalls monitored within 5 km.
Risk model
v0.4
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Sample timeline (JSON) · All beaches (CSV)
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