Polstreath water quality

RED

designated bathing water · · South West Water

Polstreath 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 109 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.
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): 2
  • Rainfall (48h): 35.6 mm

Official EA classification

excellent (2025)

Latest official sample

2026-09-21 — E.coli 10, enterococci 10 cfu/100ml

Latest independent sample

None published

Pollution & environment data

35.6 mm
Rainfall 48h
67.3 mm
Rainfall 7d
7
Outfalls within 5 km
109
Spills (2025, official)
33
Spills 2026 so far (live)
17
Spills last 30d
high 1.80m
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 Polstreath

Download CSV

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

35 discharge events
StartEndOutfallDistance
2026-10-24 12:01ongoingATLANTIC OCEAN (C)~3.9 km
2026-10-24 11:41ongoingATLANTIC OCEAN (C)~3.9 km
2026-10-23 08:312026-10-23 08:36ATLANTIC OCEAN (C)~3.9 km
2026-10-23 06:452026-10-23 08:46ATLANTIC OCEAN (C)~3.9 km
2026-10-21 22:302026-10-21 22:45MEVAGISSEY BAY~0.4 km
2026-10-21 22:162026-10-21 22:22MEVAGISSEY BAY~0.4 km
2026-10-21 00:012026-10-21 00:10MEVAGISSEY BAY~0.4 km
2026-09-30 02:302026-09-30 02:45TRIBUTARY OF WHITE RIVER~3.1 km
2026-09-30 02:262026-09-30 02:31TRIBUTARY OF WHITE RIVER~3.1 km
2026-09-30 01:452026-09-30 02:15ATLANTIC OCEAN (C)~3.9 km
2026-09-30 01:232026-09-30 02:03ATLANTIC OCEAN (C)~3.9 km
2026-09-30 00:152026-09-30 00:30PORTMELLON STREAM(S)~3.3 km
2026-09-30 00:002026-09-30 01:30ATLANTIC OCEAN (C)~3.9 km
2026-09-29 23:472026-09-30 00:14PORTMELLON STREAM(S)~3.3 km
2026-09-29 23:002026-09-29 23:15ATLANTIC OCEAN (C)~3.9 km
2026-09-29 21:152026-09-29 22:00ATLANTIC OCEAN (C)~3.9 km
2026-09-29 21:152026-09-29 21:45PORTMELLON STREAM(S)~3.3 km
2026-09-08 08:192026-09-08 08:26ATLANTIC OCEAN (C)~3.9 km
2026-08-30 15:282026-08-30 15:32ATLANTIC OCEAN (C)~3.9 km
2026-08-30 14:152026-08-30 15:30ATLANTIC OCEAN (C)~3.9 km
2026-08-30 13:452026-08-30 14:15PORTMELLON STREAM(S)~3.3 km
2026-08-30 13:452026-08-30 14:15MEVAGISSEY BAY~0.4 km
2026-08-30 13:362026-08-30 14:07PORTMELLON STREAM(S)~3.3 km
2026-08-29 09:222026-08-29 09:28ATLANTIC OCEAN (C)~3.9 km
2026-08-29 08:532026-08-29 09:06PORTMELLON STREAM(S)~3.3 km
2026-08-26 23:532026-08-26 23:58PORTMELLON STREAM(S)~3.3 km
2026-07-07 12:302026-07-07 12:45TRIBUTARY OF WHITE RIVER~3.1 km
2026-07-07 11:352026-07-07 12:16TRIBUTARY OF WHITE RIVER~3.1 km
2026-06-10 09:352026-06-10 09:38TRIBUTARY OF WHITE RIVER~3.1 km
2026-06-01 20:022026-06-01 20:10ATLANTIC OCEAN (C)~3.9 km
2026-06-01 19:192026-06-01 19:32PORTMELLON STREAM(S)~3.3 km
2026-05-15 09:242026-05-15 09:25ST AUSTELL RIVER(S)~4.7 km
2026-04-12 14:232026-04-12 14:27MEVAGISSEY BAY~0.4 km
2025-12-20 18:382025-12-20 18:46ST AUSTELL RIVER (S)~2.0 km
2025-11-04 12:332025-11-04 12:34STREAM (S)~1.4 km
35 precise spill records (duration & volume)
WhenDetailDistance
2026-10-24 11:41spill, 169 min~3.9 km
2026-10-23 08:31spill, 5 min~3.9 km
2026-10-23 06:20spill, 85 min~3.9 km
2026-10-21 22:16spill, 6 min~0.4 km
2026-10-21 00:01spill, 9 min~0.4 km
2026-09-30 02:26spill, 5 min~3.1 km
2026-09-30 01:23spill, 41 min~3.9 km
2026-09-29 23:47spill, 27 min~3.3 km
2026-09-29 23:44spill, 16 min~3.9 km
2026-09-29 23:10spill, 2 min~3.9 km
2026-09-29 20:47spill, 25 min~3.3 km
2026-09-08 08:19spill, 6 min~3.9 km
2026-08-30 15:28spill, 4 min~3.9 km
2026-08-30 15:04spill, 9 min~3.9 km
2026-08-30 13:46spill, 58 min~3.9 km
2026-08-30 13:45spill, 20 min~0.4 km
2026-08-30 13:36spill, 32 min~3.3 km
2026-08-29 09:22spill, 6 min~3.9 km
2026-08-29 08:53spill, 13 min~3.3 km
2026-08-26 23:53spill, 5 min~3.3 km
2026-07-07 11:35spill, 41 min~3.1 km
2026-06-10 09:35spill, 2 min~3.1 km
2026-06-10 09:35spill, 2 min~3.1 km
2026-06-01 20:02spill, 8 min~3.9 km
2026-06-01 20:02spill, 8 min~3.9 km
2026-06-01 19:19spill, 13 min~3.3 km
2026-06-01 19:19spill, 13 min~3.3 km
2026-05-15 09:24spill, 1 min~4.7 km
2026-05-15 09:24spill, 1 min~4.7 km
2026-04-12 14:23spill, 3 min~0.4 km
2026-04-12 14:23spill, 3 min~0.4 km
2025-12-20 18:38spill, 8 min~2.0 km
2025-12-20 18:38spill, 8 min~2.0 km
2025-11-04 12:33spill, 2 min~1.4 km
2025-11-04 12:33spill, 2 min~1.4 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—310 cfu/100ml10 cfu/100ml0
2021—510 cfu/100ml10 cfu/100ml0
2022—1010 cfu/100ml10 cfu/100ml0
2023—1010 cfu/100ml11 cfu/100ml0
2024—1013 cfu/100ml10 cfu/100ml0
2025excellent2011 cfu/100ml12 cfu/100ml1 of 20
2026—1510 cfu/100ml11 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.

Polstreath — frequently asked questions

Is it safe to swim at Polstreath today?

Polstreath 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 Polstreath?

109 storm-overflow spills were recorded near Polstreath in 2025 (EA Event Duration Monitoring), and 33 spill events have been logged nearby so far this year.

What is Polstreath's bathing water classification?

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