Pentewan water quality

RED

designated bathing water · · South West Water

Pentewan is a designated bathing water in Cornwall, currently rated RED for swimming — Storm overflow discharging within 5 km right now. Incoming/high tide may carry discharge closer to shore. Its latest Environment Agency classification is excellent (2025), and 215 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?
Avoid — pollution risk
Storm overflow discharging within 5 km right now. Incoming/high tide may carry discharge closer to shore.
South West Water status: Amber · since 2026-10-22 19:51
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: RED Storm overflow discharging within 5 km right now. Incoming/high tide may carry discharge closer to shore.

  • Active overflows nearby: 2
  • Recent overflows (48h): 11
  • Rainfall (48h): 35.6 mm

Official EA classification

excellent (2025)

Latest official sample

2026-09-21 — E.coli 100, enterococci 45 cfu/100ml

Latest independent sample

None published

Pollution & environment data

35.6 mm
Rainfall 48h
67.3 mm
Rainfall 7d
11
Outfalls within 5 km
215
Spills (2025, official)
50
Spills 2026 so far (live)
26
Spills last 30d
high 1.79m
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 Pentewan

Download CSV

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

53 discharge events
StartEndOutfallDistance
2026-10-24 13:462026-10-24 14:15winWINSFORD SPST_PSCSOEO_WINSFORD~4.9 km
2026-10-24 13:212026-10-24 13:50winWINSFORD SPST_PSCSOEO_WINSFORD~4.9 km
2026-10-24 09:30ongoingST AUSTELL RIVER~4.2 km
2026-10-24 09:10ongoingST AUSTELL RIVER~4.2 km
2026-10-23 20:152026-10-23 22:15ST AUSTELL RIVER~4.2 km
2026-10-23 19:552026-10-23 22:00ST AUSTELL RIVER~4.2 km
2026-10-23 04:462026-10-23 12:16ST AUSTELL RIVER~4.2 km
2026-10-23 01:302026-10-23 12:01ST AUSTELL RIVER~4.2 km
2026-10-23 01:162026-10-23 11:46ST AUSTELL RIVER~4.2 km
2026-10-22 23:452026-10-23 00:45ST AUSTELL RIVER~4.2 km
2026-10-22 23:322026-10-23 00:20ST AUSTELL RIVER~4.2 km
2026-10-22 20:012026-10-22 22:30ST AUSTELL RIVER~4.2 km
2026-10-22 19:412026-10-22 22:15ST AUSTELL RIVER~4.2 km
2026-10-21 22:302026-10-21 22:45MEVAGISSEY BAY~1.8 km
2026-10-21 22:162026-10-21 22:22MEVAGISSEY BAY~1.8 km
2026-10-21 00:012026-10-21 00:10MEVAGISSEY BAY~1.8 km
2026-09-30 02:302026-09-30 02:45TRIBUTARY OF WHITE RIVER~1.9 km
2026-09-30 02:262026-09-30 02:31TRIBUTARY OF WHITE RIVER~1.9 km
2026-09-30 00:302026-09-30 01:15ST AUSTELL BAY (C)~4.9 km
2026-09-30 00:152026-09-30 00:30PORTMELLON STREAM(S)~4.7 km
2026-09-30 00:022026-09-30 00:55ST AUSTELL BAY (C)~4.9 km
2026-09-29 23:472026-09-30 00:14PORTMELLON STREAM(S)~4.7 km
2026-09-29 22:152026-09-30 03:15ST AUSTELL RIVER~4.2 km
2026-09-29 21:482026-09-30 02:45ST AUSTELL RIVER~4.2 km
2026-09-29 21:302026-09-29 23:30ST AUSTELL BAY (C)~4.9 km
2026-09-29 21:152026-09-29 21:45PORTMELLON STREAM(S)~4.7 km
2026-09-08 07:202026-09-08 08:59ST AUSTELL RIVER~4.2 km
2026-09-08 03:482026-09-08 05:55ST AUSTELL BAY (C)~4.9 km
2026-08-30 13:452026-08-30 14:15PORTMELLON STREAM(S)~4.7 km
2026-08-30 13:452026-08-30 14:15MEVAGISSEY BAY~1.8 km
2026-08-30 13:362026-08-30 14:07PORTMELLON STREAM(S)~4.7 km
2026-08-29 10:152026-08-29 11:00ST AUSTELL RIVER~4.2 km
2026-08-29 10:032026-08-29 10:43ST AUSTELL RIVER~4.2 km
2026-08-29 08:532026-08-29 09:06PORTMELLON STREAM(S)~4.7 km
2026-08-29 04:302026-08-29 05:30ST AUSTELL BAY (C)~4.9 km
2026-08-29 03:482026-08-29 05:05ST AUSTELL BAY (C)~4.9 km
2026-08-27 03:452026-08-27 04:45ST AUSTELL RIVER~4.2 km
2026-08-27 03:102026-08-27 03:43ST AUSTELL RIVER~4.2 km
2026-08-27 02:332026-08-27 02:55ST AUSTELL BAY (C)~4.9 km
2026-08-26 23:532026-08-26 23:58PORTMELLON STREAM(S)~4.7 km
2026-07-07 12:302026-07-07 12:45TRIBUTARY OF WHITE RIVER~1.9 km
2026-07-07 11:352026-07-07 12:16TRIBUTARY OF WHITE RIVER~1.9 km
2026-06-10 09:352026-06-10 09:38TRIBUTARY OF WHITE RIVER~1.9 km
2026-06-06 07:572026-06-06 11:45ST AUSTELL RIVER~4.2 km
2026-06-03 19:532026-06-03 20:06ST AUSTELL BAY (C)~4.9 km
2026-06-01 19:192026-06-01 19:32PORTMELLON STREAM(S)~4.7 km
2026-05-21 09:482026-05-21 09:51POLGOOTH STREAM~3.9 km
2026-05-15 09:242026-05-15 09:25ST AUSTELL RIVER(S)~3.3 km
2026-05-01 09:152026-05-01 09:18winWINSFORD SPST_PSCSOEO_WINSFORD~4.9 km
2026-04-12 14:232026-04-12 14:27MEVAGISSEY BAY~1.8 km
2025-12-20 18:382025-12-20 18:46ST AUSTELL RIVER (S)~0.5 km
2025-11-04 12:332025-11-04 12:34STREAM (S)~2.9 km
2025-10-23 07:412025-10-23 07:42ST AUSTELL BAY (C)~4.0 km
49 precise spill records (duration & volume)
WhenDetailDistance
2026-10-24 13:21spill, 29 min~4.9 km
2026-10-24 09:10spill, 320 min~4.2 km
2026-10-23 19:55spill, 95 min~4.2 km
2026-10-23 04:46spill, 396 min~4.2 km
2026-10-23 01:16spill, 178 min~4.2 km
2026-10-22 23:32spill, 48 min~4.2 km
2026-10-22 19:41spill, 129 min~4.2 km
2026-10-21 22:16spill, 6 min~1.8 km
2026-10-21 00:01spill, 9 min~1.8 km
2026-09-30 02:26spill, 5 min~1.9 km
2026-09-30 00:02spill, 53 min~4.9 km
2026-09-29 23:47spill, 27 min~4.7 km
2026-09-29 21:48spill, 297 min~4.2 km
2026-09-29 21:00spill, 123 min~4.9 km
2026-09-29 20:47spill, 25 min~4.7 km
2026-09-08 07:20spill, 99 min~4.2 km
2026-09-08 03:48spill, 128 min~4.9 km
2026-08-30 13:45spill, 20 min~1.8 km
2026-08-30 13:36spill, 32 min~4.7 km
2026-08-29 10:03spill, 40 min~4.2 km
2026-08-29 08:53spill, 13 min~4.7 km
2026-08-29 03:48spill, 77 min~4.9 km
2026-08-27 03:10spill, 34 min~4.2 km
2026-08-27 02:42spill, 19 min~4.2 km
2026-08-27 02:33spill, 22 min~4.9 km
2026-08-26 23:53spill, 5 min~4.7 km
2026-07-07 11:35spill, 41 min~1.9 km
2026-06-10 09:35spill, 2 min~1.9 km
2026-06-10 09:35spill, 2 min~1.9 km
2026-06-06 07:57spill, 228 min~4.2 km
2026-06-06 07:57spill, 228 min~4.2 km
2026-06-03 19:53spill, 13 min~4.9 km
2026-06-03 19:53spill, 13 min~4.9 km
2026-06-01 19:19spill, 13 min~4.7 km
2026-06-01 19:19spill, 13 min~4.7 km
2026-05-21 09:48spill, 2 min~3.9 km
2026-05-21 09:48spill, 2 min~3.9 km
2026-05-15 09:24spill, 1 min~3.3 km
2026-05-15 09:24spill, 1 min~3.3 km
2026-05-01 09:15spill, 2 min~4.9 km
2026-05-01 09:15spill, 2 min~4.9 km
2026-04-12 14:23spill, 3 min~1.8 km
2026-04-12 14:23spill, 3 min~1.8 km
2025-12-20 18:38spill, 8 min~0.5 km
2025-12-20 18:38spill, 8 min~0.5 km
2025-11-04 12:33spill, 2 min~2.9 km
2025-11-04 12:33spill, 2 min~2.9 km
2025-10-23 07:41spill, 1 min~4.0 km
2025-10-23 07:41spill, 1 min~4.0 km
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Water quality — 7-year trend

Water quality worsened in 2026: average E. coli was 29% higher than 2025.

YearEA classificationSamplesE. coli (geo-mean)Enterococci (geo-mean)High readings
2019—1311 cfu/100ml13 cfu/100ml0
2020—310 cfu/100ml10 cfu/100ml0
2021—2012 cfu/100ml14 cfu/100ml0
2022—2014 cfu/100ml13 cfu/100ml1 of 20
2023—2017 cfu/100ml15 cfu/100ml0
2024—2013 cfu/100ml14 cfu/100ml0
2025excellent2012 cfu/100ml13 cfu/100ml0
2026—1515 cfu/100ml20 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.

Pentewan — frequently asked questions

Is it safe to swim at Pentewan today?

Pentewan is currently rated RED: Storm overflow discharging within 5 km right now. 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 Pentewan?

215 storm-overflow spills were recorded near Pentewan in 2025 (EA Event Duration Monitoring), and 50 spill events have been logged nearby so far this year.

What is Pentewan's bathing water classification?

Pentewan is classified excellent for 2025 by the Environment Agency.

Data & provenance

Last updated
7 min ago (2026-10-24 15:00 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, 11 outfalls monitored within 5 km.
Risk model
v0.4
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Sample timeline (JSON) · All beaches (CSV)
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