Penzance water quality

AMBER

designated bathing water · · South West Water

Penzance 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 358 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): 1
  • Rainfall (48h): 2.0 mm

Official EA classification

excellent (2025)

Latest official sample

2026-08-18 — E.coli 18, enterococci 10 cfu/100ml

Latest independent sample

None published

Pollution & environment data

2.0 mm
Rainfall 48h
8.1 mm
Rainfall 7d
9
Outfalls within 5 km
358
Spills (2025, official)
35
Spills 2026 so far (live)
16
Spills last 30d
falling 0.40m
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 Penzance

Download CSV

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

36 discharge events
StartEndOutfallDistance
2026-08-25 14:242026-08-25 14:27SURFACE WATER DRAIN TO CHYANDR~1.9 km
2026-08-21 08:452026-08-21 09:15SURFACE WATER DRAIN TO CHYANDR~1.9 km
2026-08-21 08:312026-08-21 08:52SURFACE WATER DRAIN TO CHYANDR~1.9 km
2026-08-20 12:182026-08-20 12:20MOUNTS BAY ENGLISH CHANNEL~3.7 km
2026-08-19 04:302026-08-19 05:15SURFACE WATER DRAIN TO CHYANDR~1.9 km
2026-08-19 04:022026-08-19 04:40SURFACE WATER DRAIN TO CHYANDR~1.9 km
2026-08-19 02:152026-08-19 03:15SURFACE WATER DRAIN TO CHYANDR~1.9 km
2026-08-19 01:552026-08-19 02:21SURFACE WATER DRAIN TO CHYANDR~1.9 km
2026-08-18 11:342026-08-18 11:36MOUNTS BAY ENGLISH CHANNEL~3.7 km
2026-08-17 14:562026-08-17 14:58MOUNTS BAY ENGLISH CHANNEL~3.7 km
2026-08-13 08:522026-08-13 08:54MOUNTS BAY ENGLISH CHANNEL~3.7 km
2026-08-13 07:47ongoingLONGROCK STREAM~2.8 km
2026-08-12 07:142026-08-12 07:16MOUNTS BAY ENGLISH CHANNEL~3.7 km
2026-08-10 21:302026-08-10 21:32MOUNTS BAY ENGLISH CHANNEL~3.7 km
2026-08-10 14:122026-08-10 14:14MOUNTS BAY ENGLISH CHANNEL~3.7 km
2026-08-05 11:342026-08-05 11:35LOCAL STREAM (S)~1.8 km
2026-07-23 18:152026-07-23 20:30MOUNTS BAY ENGLISH CHANNEL~3.7 km
2026-07-23 18:012026-07-23 20:15MOUNTS BAY ENGLISH CHANNEL~3.7 km
2026-07-22 20:072026-07-22 20:09MOUNTS BAY (C)~2.8 km
2026-07-13 09:562026-07-13 09:59SURFACE WATER DRAIN TO CHYANDR~1.9 km
2026-07-11 13:002026-07-11 14:15MOUNTS BAY ENGLISH CHANNEL~3.7 km
2026-07-11 12:382026-07-11 14:00MOUNTS BAY ENGLISH CHANNEL~3.7 km
2026-07-11 09:452026-07-11 10:45MOUNTS BAY ENGLISH CHANNEL~3.7 km
2026-07-09 02:452026-07-09 06:30MOUNTS BAY (C)~2.8 km
2026-07-09 01:552026-07-09 02:01MOUNTS BAY (C)~2.8 km
2026-07-06 05:202026-07-06 05:24MOUNTS BAY ENGLISH CHANNEL~3.7 km
2026-07-03 15:482026-07-03 15:50MOUNTS BAY ENGLISH CHANNEL~3.7 km
2026-06-24 17:212026-06-25 01:48MOUNTS BAY ENGLISH CHANNEL~3.7 km
2026-06-18 02:042026-06-18 02:06MOUNTS BAY ENGLISH CHANNEL~3.7 km
2026-06-16 19:122026-06-16 19:21SURFACE WATER DRAIN TO CHYANDR~1.9 km
2026-06-13 00:062026-06-15 07:12MOUNTS BAY (C)~2.8 km
2026-06-08 03:522026-06-08 04:03LOCAL STREAM (S)~1.5 km
2026-06-08 03:442026-06-08 03:52LOCAL STREAM (S)~1.8 km
2026-05-19 00:132026-05-19 00:15MOUNTS BAY (COASTAL)~3.7 km
2026-04-27 10:572026-04-27 11:03LONGROCK STREAM~2.8 km
2025-09-09 15:582025-09-09 16:47MOUNTS BAY~0.7 km
45 precise spill records (duration & volume)
WhenDetailDistance
2026-08-25 14:24spill, 2 min~1.9 km
2026-08-21 08:31spill, 21 min~1.9 km
2026-08-20 12:18spill, 2 min~3.7 km
2026-08-19 04:02spill, 39 min~1.9 km
2026-08-19 01:55spill, 26 min~1.9 km
2026-08-18 11:34spill, 2 min~3.7 km
2026-08-17 14:56spill, 2 min~3.7 km
2026-08-13 08:52spill, 2 min~3.7 km
2026-08-13 07:47spill, 1489 min~2.8 km
2026-08-13 06:54spill, 2 min~3.7 km
2026-08-12 07:14spill, 2 min~3.7 km
2026-08-11 20:30spill, 2 min~3.7 km
2026-08-11 13:00spill, 2 min~3.7 km
2026-08-10 21:30spill, 2 min~3.7 km
2026-08-10 18:28spill, 2 min~3.7 km
2026-08-10 14:12spill, 2 min~3.7 km
2026-08-10 07:10spill, 2 min~3.7 km
2026-08-08 21:42spill, 2 min~3.7 km
2026-08-05 11:34spill, 1 min~1.8 km
2026-07-23 18:01spill, 120 min~3.7 km
2026-07-22 20:07spill, 2 min~2.8 km
2026-07-13 09:56spill, 2 min~1.9 km
2026-07-11 12:38spill, 83 min~3.7 km
2026-07-11 09:08spill, 60 min~3.7 km
2026-07-09 01:55spill, 5 min~2.8 km
2026-07-06 05:20spill, 4 min~3.7 km
2026-07-03 15:48spill, 2 min~3.7 km
2026-06-24 17:21spill, 506 min~3.7 km
2026-06-24 17:21spill, 506 min~3.7 km
2026-06-18 02:04spill, 2 min~3.7 km
2026-06-18 02:04spill, 2 min~3.7 km
2026-06-16 19:12spill, 10 min~1.9 km
2026-06-16 19:12spill, 10 min~1.9 km
2026-06-13 00:06spill, 3306 min~2.8 km
2026-06-13 00:06spill, 3306 min~2.8 km
2026-06-08 03:52spill, 11 min~1.5 km
2026-06-08 03:52spill, 11 min~1.5 km
2026-06-08 03:44spill, 8 min~1.8 km
2026-06-08 03:44spill, 8 min~1.8 km
2026-05-19 00:13spill, 2 min~3.7 km
2026-05-19 00:13spill, 2 min~3.7 km
2026-04-27 10:57spill, 6 min~2.8 km
2026-04-27 10:57spill, 6 min~2.8 km
2025-09-09 15:58spill, 49 min~0.7 km
2025-09-09 15:58spill, 49 min~0.7 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—1216 cfu/100ml17 cfu/100ml1 of 12
2020—2147 cfu/100ml16 cfu/100ml1 of 2
2021—2115 cfu/100ml23 cfu/100ml2 of 21
2022—2019 cfu/100ml22 cfu/100ml2 of 20
2023—2015 cfu/100ml14 cfu/100ml1 of 20
2024—2017 cfu/100ml16 cfu/100ml1 of 20
2025excellent2016 cfu/100ml19 cfu/100ml1 of 20
2026—1517 cfu/100ml15 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.

Penzance — frequently asked questions

Is it safe to swim at Penzance today?

Penzance 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 Penzance?

358 storm-overflow spills were recorded near Penzance in 2025 (EA Event Duration Monitoring), and 35 spill events have been logged nearby so far this year.

What is Penzance's bathing water classification?

Penzance is classified excellent for 2025 by the Environment Agency.

Data & provenance

Last updated
12 min ago (2026-08-26 18:30 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, 9 outfalls monitored within 5 km.
Risk model
v0.4
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Sample timeline (JSON) · All beaches (CSV)
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