Holywell Bay water quality

AMBER

designated bathing water · · South West Water

Holywell Bay is a designated bathing water in Cornwall, currently rated AMBER for swimming — A storm overflow discharged within 5 km in the last 48 hours. Falling tide may draw discharge along the shore. Its latest Environment Agency classification is excellent (2025), and 56 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. Falling tide may draw discharge along the 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. Falling tide may draw discharge along the shore.

  • Active overflows nearby: 0
  • Recent overflows (48h): 4
  • Rainfall (48h): 28.8 mm

Official EA classification

excellent (2025)

Latest official sample

2026-09-24 — E.coli 10, enterococci 10 cfu/100ml

Latest independent sample

None published

Pollution & environment data

28.8 mm
Rainfall 48h
58.1 mm
Rainfall 7d
5
Outfalls within 5 km
56
Spills (2025, official)
39
Spills 2026 so far (live)
15
Spills last 30d
falling 2.45m
Tide now

Recent storm overflows nearby (30 days)

In the news nearby

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

Recent spills near here (precise, SWW)

Full spill history near Holywell Bay

Download CSV

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

39 discharge events
StartEndOutfallDistance
2026-10-24 13:162026-10-24 15:16ATLANTIC OCEAN (C)~3.4 km
2026-10-24 12:472026-10-24 15:01ATLANTIC OCEAN (C)~3.4 km
2026-10-22 20:162026-10-22 21:30ATLANTIC OCEAN (C)~3.4 km
2026-10-22 20:002026-10-22 21:13ATLANTIC OCEAN (C)~3.4 km
2026-10-15 21:452026-10-15 23:45ATLANTIC OCEAN (C)~3.4 km
2026-10-15 21:292026-10-15 23:30ATLANTIC OCEAN (C)~3.4 km
2026-10-15 21:152026-10-15 21:30RIVER GANNEL (S)~3.0 km
2026-10-15 20:512026-10-15 21:02RIVER GANNEL (S)~3.0 km
2026-09-29 21:342026-09-29 21:46ATLANTIC OCEAN (C)~3.4 km
2026-09-29 21:002026-09-29 21:45ATLANTIC OCEAN (C)~3.4 km
2026-09-29 11:452026-09-29 12:15STREAM (S)~2.5 km
2026-09-29 11:232026-09-29 11:50STREAM (S)~2.5 km
2026-09-27 19:322026-09-27 19:34STREAM (S)~2.5 km
2026-09-27 11:562026-09-27 11:59STREAM (S)~2.5 km
2026-09-27 02:152026-09-27 02:18STREAM (S)~2.5 km
2026-09-22 12:452026-09-22 13:00STREAM (S)~2.5 km
2026-09-22 12:332026-09-22 12:40STREAM (S)~2.5 km
2026-09-22 09:582026-09-22 10:00STREAM (S)~2.5 km
2026-09-22 04:592026-09-22 05:02STREAM (S)~2.5 km
2026-09-11 21:292026-09-11 21:31STREAM (S)~2.5 km
2026-09-08 03:192026-09-08 04:18ATLANTIC OCEAN (C)~3.4 km
2026-09-04 19:532026-09-04 20:49STREAM (S)~2.5 km
2026-08-29 05:302026-08-29 06:30ATLANTIC OCEAN (C)~3.4 km
2026-08-29 04:562026-08-29 05:58ATLANTIC OCEAN (C)~3.4 km
2026-08-27 14:082026-08-27 14:10STREAM (S)~2.5 km
2026-08-26 23:312026-08-26 23:32STREAM (S)~2.5 km
2026-08-25 10:452026-08-25 11:15STREAM (S)~2.5 km
2026-08-25 10:272026-08-25 10:47STREAM (S)~2.5 km
2026-08-25 07:302026-08-25 07:45STREAM (S)~2.5 km
2026-08-25 07:122026-08-25 07:19STREAM (S)~2.5 km
2026-06-30 20:262026-06-30 20:43STREAM (S)~2.5 km
2026-06-30 20:002026-06-30 21:30STREAM (S)~2.5 km
2026-06-30 19:062026-06-30 21:15STREAM (S)~2.5 km
2026-06-30 17:152026-06-30 18:00STREAM (S)~2.5 km
2026-06-24 11:442026-06-24 11:48STREAM (S)~2.5 km
2026-06-18 02:262026-06-18 04:19TRIB OF PORTH JOKE~1.8 km
2026-05-22 16:312026-05-22 16:36ATLANTIC OCEAN (C)~3.4 km
2026-05-03 13:422026-05-03 14:14RIVER GANNEL (S)~3.0 km
2026-02-01 22:542026-02-01 22:58CRANTOCK BEACH (C)~2.8 km
36 precise spill records (duration & volume)
WhenDetailDistance
2026-10-24 12:47spill, 112 min~3.4 km
2026-10-22 20:00spill, 73 min~3.4 km
2026-10-15 21:29spill, 90 min~3.4 km
2026-10-15 20:51spill, 12 min~3.0 km
2026-09-29 21:34spill, 12 min~3.4 km
2026-09-29 11:23spill, 27 min~2.5 km
2026-09-27 19:32spill, 2 min~2.5 km
2026-09-27 11:56spill, 4 min~2.5 km
2026-09-27 02:15spill, 3 min~2.5 km
2026-09-22 12:33spill, 7 min~2.5 km
2026-09-22 09:58spill, 3 min~2.5 km
2026-09-22 04:59spill, 3 min~2.5 km
2026-09-11 21:29spill, 1 min~2.5 km
2026-09-08 03:19spill, 59 min~3.4 km
2026-09-04 19:53spill, 56 min~2.5 km
2026-09-02 03:33spill, 2 min~2.5 km
2026-08-29 04:56spill, 63 min~3.4 km
2026-08-27 14:08spill, 2 min~2.5 km
2026-08-26 23:31spill, 1 min~2.5 km
2026-08-25 10:27spill, 20 min~2.5 km
2026-08-25 07:12spill, 6 min~2.5 km
2026-06-30 20:26spill, 17 min~2.5 km
2026-06-30 19:06spill, 53 min~2.5 km
2026-06-30 18:50spill, 1 min~2.5 km
2026-06-24 11:44spill, 3 min~2.5 km
2026-06-24 11:44spill, 3 min~2.5 km
2026-06-18 02:26spill, 113 min~1.8 km
2026-06-18 02:26spill, 113 min~1.8 km
2026-05-22 16:31spill, 6 min~3.4 km
2026-05-22 16:31spill, 6 min~3.4 km
2026-05-03 13:42spill, 32 min~3.0 km
2026-05-03 13:42spill, 32 min~3.0 km
2026-03-07 05:37spill, 90 min~0.6 km
2026-03-07 05:37spill, 90 min~0.6 km
2026-02-01 22:54spill, 3 min~2.8 km
2026-02-01 22:54spill, 3 min~2.8 km
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Water quality — 7-year trend

Water quality in 2026 was broadly level with 2025.

YearEA classificationSamplesE. coli (geo-mean)Enterococci (geo-mean)High readings
2019—1210 cfu/100ml12 cfu/100ml0
2020—317 cfu/100ml10 cfu/100ml0
2021—2011 cfu/100ml12 cfu/100ml0
2022—2012 cfu/100ml17 cfu/100ml0
2023—2111 cfu/100ml14 cfu/100ml0
2024—1510 cfu/100ml10 cfu/100ml0
2025excellent2013 cfu/100ml15 cfu/100ml0
2026—1513 cfu/100ml13 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.

Holywell Bay — frequently asked questions

Is it safe to swim at Holywell Bay today?

Holywell Bay is currently rated AMBER: A storm overflow discharged within 5 km in the last 48 hours. Falling tide may draw discharge along the shore. This is guidance only — also check official alerts and use your judgement.

Has there been a sewage spill near Holywell Bay?

56 storm-overflow spills were recorded near Holywell Bay in 2025 (EA Event Duration Monitoring), and 39 spill events have been logged nearby so far this year.

What is Holywell Bay's bathing water classification?

Holywell Bay is classified excellent for 2025 by the Environment Agency.

Data & provenance

Last updated
2 min ago (2026-10-24 16:00 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, 5 outfalls monitored within 5 km.
Risk model
v0.4
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Sample timeline (JSON) · All beaches (CSV)
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