Porthleven Sands water quality

RED

designated bathing water · · South West Water

Porthleven Sands 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 111 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 2026-10-24 11:35
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): 15
  • Rainfall (48h): 36.7 mm

Official EA classification

excellent (2025)

Latest official sample

2026-09-22 — E.coli 10, enterococci 10 cfu/100ml

Latest independent sample

None published

Pollution & environment data

36.7 mm
Rainfall 48h
64.3 mm
Rainfall 7d
7
Outfalls within 5 km
111
Spills (2025, official)
95
Spills 2026 so far (live)
47
Spills last 30d
high 1.84m
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 Porthleven Sands

Download CSV

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

96 discharge events
StartEndOutfallDistance
2026-10-24 14:46ongoingMOUNTS BAY~0.2 km
2026-10-24 14:302026-10-24 15:00RIVER COBER VIA SWS~3.2 km
2026-10-24 14:082026-10-24 14:45RIVER COBER VIA SWS~3.2 km
2026-10-24 12:00ongoingRIVER COBER~2.8 km
2026-10-24 11:452026-10-24 13:46MOUNTS BAY~0.2 km
2026-10-24 11:252026-10-24 13:30MOUNTS BAY~0.2 km
2026-10-24 10:452026-10-24 13:30RIVER COBER VIA SWS~3.2 km
2026-10-24 10:262026-10-24 13:15RIVER COBER VIA SWS~3.2 km
2026-10-24 08:302026-10-24 09:15RIVER COBER VIA SWS~3.2 km
2026-10-24 04:512026-10-24 04:58RIVER COBER VIA SWS~3.2 km
2026-10-23 04:202026-10-23 04:32RIVER COBER VIA SWS~3.2 km
2026-10-23 03:302026-10-23 04:15RIVER COBER VIA SWS~3.2 km
2026-10-23 00:152026-10-23 00:30RIVER COBER VIA SWS~3.2 km
2026-10-22 23:572026-10-23 00:09RIVER COBER VIA SWS~3.2 km
2026-10-22 19:152026-10-22 19:45RIVER COBER VIA SWS~3.2 km
2026-10-22 19:072026-10-22 19:26RIVER COBER VIA SWS~3.2 km
2026-10-22 17:452026-10-22 18:15RIVER COBER VIA SWS~3.2 km
2026-10-22 14:302026-10-22 14:45RIVER COBER VIA SWS~3.2 km
2026-10-22 14:112026-10-22 14:33RIVER COBER VIA SWS~3.2 km
2026-10-21 21:452026-10-21 22:15RIVER COBER VIA SWS~3.2 km
2026-10-21 21:322026-10-21 22:01RIVER COBER VIA SWS~3.2 km
2026-10-20 23:002026-10-20 23:15RIVER COBER VIA SWS~3.2 km
2026-10-20 22:402026-10-20 23:01RIVER COBER VIA SWS~3.2 km
2026-10-15 20:452026-10-15 21:15RIVER COBER VIA SWS~3.2 km
2026-10-15 20:372026-10-15 20:52RIVER COBER VIA SWS~3.2 km
2026-10-11 23:302026-10-12 00:00RIVER COBER VIA SWS~3.2 km
2026-10-11 23:172026-10-11 23:38RIVER COBER VIA SWS~3.2 km
2026-10-09 13:232026-10-09 13:31RIVER COBER VIA SWS~3.2 km
2026-10-02 08:152026-10-02 09:15RIVER COBER~2.8 km
2026-10-02 07:472026-10-02 08:58RIVER COBER~2.8 km
2026-10-02 04:452026-10-02 07:45RIVER COBER~2.8 km
2026-10-02 03:002026-10-02 04:15RIVER COBER~2.8 km
2026-10-02 01:152026-10-02 01:45RIVER COBER~2.8 km
2026-10-01 23:302026-10-02 00:45RIVER COBER~2.8 km
2026-10-01 21:452026-10-01 23:00RIVER COBER~2.8 km
2026-10-01 21:302026-10-01 22:45RIVER COBER~2.8 km
2026-10-01 19:152026-10-01 21:15RIVER COBER~2.8 km
2026-10-01 17:302026-10-01 18:15RIVER COBER~2.8 km
2026-10-01 15:152026-10-01 17:15RIVER COBER~2.8 km
2026-10-01 12:302026-10-01 14:45RIVER COBER~2.8 km
2026-10-01 11:302026-10-01 11:45RIVER COBER~2.8 km
2026-09-30 17:002026-09-30 17:15RIVER COBER~2.8 km
2026-09-30 16:362026-09-30 16:52RIVER COBER~2.8 km
2026-09-30 16:302026-09-30 16:45RIVER COBER~2.8 km
2026-09-30 01:002026-09-30 01:30RIVER COBER VIA SWS~3.2 km
2026-09-30 00:232026-09-30 00:50RIVER COBER VIA SWS~3.2 km
2026-09-29 20:002026-09-29 20:30RIVER COBER VIA SWS~3.2 km
2026-09-23 09:292026-09-23 09:34MOUNTS BAY~0.2 km
2026-09-18 08:222026-09-18 08:24MOUNTS BAY~0.2 km
2026-09-08 07:332026-09-08 07:39RIVER COBER VIA SWS~3.2 km
2026-09-08 00:002026-09-08 00:45RIVER COBER VIA SWS~3.2 km
2026-08-31 16:272026-08-31 16:29RIVER COBER~2.8 km
2026-08-31 14:132026-08-31 14:14RIVER COBER~2.8 km
2026-08-30 12:452026-08-30 14:45RIVER COBER~2.8 km
2026-08-30 12:192026-08-30 14:33RIVER COBER~2.8 km
2026-08-30 12:062026-08-30 13:15RIVER COBER VIA SWS~3.2 km
2026-08-30 12:002026-08-30 13:00RIVER COBER VIA SWS~3.2 km
2026-08-30 09:452026-08-30 10:00RIVER COBER (VIA SWS)~3.2 km
2026-08-30 09:262026-08-30 09:46RIVER COBER (VIA SWS)~3.2 km
2026-08-29 10:152026-08-29 11:15RIVER COBER (VIA SWS)~3.2 km
2026-08-29 10:002026-08-29 11:05RIVER COBER (VIA SWS)~3.2 km
2026-08-29 09:452026-08-29 10:45RIVER COBER~2.8 km
2026-08-29 09:132026-08-29 10:16RIVER COBER~2.8 km
2026-08-29 09:002026-08-29 10:00RIVER COBER VIA SWS~3.2 km
2026-08-29 08:252026-08-29 08:53RIVER COBER VIA SWS~3.2 km
2026-08-29 08:152026-08-29 08:45RIVER COBER (VIA SWS)~3.2 km
2026-08-29 04:152026-08-29 05:15RIVER COBER (VIA SWS)~3.2 km
2026-08-29 02:302026-08-29 04:30RIVER COBER VIA SWS~3.2 km
2026-08-29 02:152026-08-29 02:30RIVER COBER (VIA SWS)~3.2 km
2026-08-28 21:152026-08-28 21:45RIVER COBER (VIA SWS)~3.2 km
2026-08-28 20:352026-08-28 20:42RIVER COBER VIA SWS~3.2 km
2026-08-28 09:002026-08-28 10:00RIVER COBER (VIA SWS)~3.2 km
2026-08-27 09:002026-08-27 09:15RIVER COBER (VIA SWS)~3.2 km
2026-08-27 08:412026-08-27 09:00RIVER COBER (VIA SWS)~3.2 km
2026-08-27 07:452026-08-27 08:15RIVER COBER (VIA SWS)~3.2 km
2026-08-27 02:302026-08-27 03:45RIVER COBER (VIA SWS)~3.2 km
2026-08-27 02:242026-08-27 03:15RIVER COBER (VIA SWS)~3.2 km
2026-08-27 01:452026-08-27 02:00RIVER COBER VIA SWS~3.2 km
2026-08-27 01:072026-08-27 01:38RIVER COBER VIA SWS~3.2 km
2026-08-26 23:302026-08-27 01:45RIVER COBER (VIA SWS)~3.2 km
2026-08-26 10:452026-08-26 11:15RIVER COBER (VIA SWS)~3.2 km
2026-08-26 08:452026-08-26 09:00RIVER COBER (VIA SWS)~3.2 km
2026-08-26 08:152026-08-26 08:46RIVER COBER (VIA SWS)~3.2 km
2026-08-25 18:302026-08-25 19:15RIVER COBER (VIA SWS)~3.2 km
2026-08-25 18:182026-08-25 19:00RIVER COBER (VIA SWS)~3.2 km
2026-08-21 08:452026-08-21 09:15RIVER COBER VIA SWS~3.2 km
2026-08-21 08:292026-08-21 08:53RIVER COBER VIA SWS~3.2 km
2026-08-19 02:452026-08-19 04:30RIVER COBER (VIA SWS)~3.2 km
2026-08-19 02:262026-08-19 04:04RIVER COBER (VIA SWS)~3.2 km
2026-06-25 23:242026-06-25 23:42RIVER COBER VIA SWS~3.2 km
2026-04-24 00:142026-04-24 00:22RIVER COBER VIA SWS~3.2 km
2026-03-30 10:432026-03-30 10:47MOUNTS BAY~0.2 km
2026-03-17 09:472026-03-17 09:49RIVER COBER (VIA SWS)~3.2 km
2026-03-02 13:292026-03-03 01:36RIVER COBER~2.8 km
2026-02-18 21:092026-02-19 03:02RIVER COBER~3.3 km
2025-11-12 12:232025-11-12 12:26MOUNTS BAY, ENGLISH CHANNEL~0.3 km
70 precise spill records (duration & volume)
WhenDetailDistance
2026-10-24 14:25spill, 5 min~0.2 km
2026-10-24 14:08spill, 26 min~3.2 km
2026-10-24 11:25spill, 104 min~0.2 km
2026-10-24 11:22spill, 173 min~2.8 km
2026-10-24 10:26spill, 148 min~3.2 km
2026-10-24 08:16spill, 36 min~3.2 km
2026-10-24 04:51spill, 7 min~3.2 km
2026-10-23 04:20spill, 12 min~3.2 km
2026-10-23 03:15spill, 41 min~3.2 km
2026-10-22 23:57spill, 13 min~3.2 km
2026-10-22 19:07spill, 19 min~3.2 km
2026-10-22 17:31spill, 35 min~3.2 km
2026-10-22 14:11spill, 22 min~3.2 km
2026-10-21 21:32spill, 29 min~3.2 km
2026-10-20 22:40spill, 21 min~3.2 km
2026-10-15 20:37spill, 15 min~3.2 km
2026-10-11 23:17spill, 21 min~3.2 km
2026-10-09 13:23spill, 9 min~3.2 km
2026-10-02 07:47spill, 70 min~2.8 km
2026-10-02 00:48spill, 46 min~2.8 km
2026-10-01 21:30spill, 46 min~2.8 km
2026-10-01 18:49spill, 129 min~2.8 km
2026-10-01 17:06spill, 42 min~2.8 km
2026-09-30 16:36spill, 16 min~2.8 km
2026-09-30 00:23spill, 28 min~3.2 km
2026-09-29 19:21spill, 44 min~3.2 km
2026-09-23 09:29spill, 5 min~0.2 km
2026-09-23 09:01spill, 3 min~0.2 km
2026-09-23 08:58spill, 2 min~0.2 km
2026-09-18 08:22spill, 2 min~0.2 km
2026-09-08 07:33spill, 6 min~3.2 km
2026-09-07 23:27spill, 18 min~3.2 km
2026-08-31 16:27spill, 2 min~2.8 km
2026-08-31 14:13spill, 1 min~2.8 km
2026-08-31 12:48spill, 2 min~2.8 km
2026-08-30 12:19spill, 134 min~2.8 km
2026-08-30 12:06spill, 23 min~3.2 km
2026-08-30 11:30spill, 15 min~3.2 km
2026-08-30 11:13spill, 1 min~3.2 km
2026-08-30 09:26spill, 21 min~3.2 km
2026-08-29 10:00spill, 66 min~3.2 km
2026-08-29 09:13spill, 62 min~2.8 km
2026-08-29 08:25spill, 28 min~3.2 km
2026-08-28 20:54spill, 35 min~3.2 km
2026-08-28 20:35spill, 7 min~3.2 km
2026-08-28 08:41spill, 60 min~3.2 km
2026-08-27 08:41spill, 20 min~3.2 km
2026-08-27 07:22spill, 15 min~3.2 km
2026-08-27 02:24spill, 24 min~3.2 km
2026-08-27 01:07spill, 32 min~3.2 km
2026-08-26 23:08spill, 123 min~3.2 km
2026-08-26 10:34spill, 18 min~3.2 km
2026-08-26 08:15spill, 31 min~3.2 km
2026-08-25 18:18spill, 25 min~3.2 km
2026-08-21 08:29spill, 24 min~3.2 km
2026-08-19 02:26spill, 98 min~3.2 km
2026-06-25 23:24spill, 18 min~3.2 km
2026-06-25 23:24spill, 18 min~3.2 km
2026-04-24 00:14spill, 8 min~3.2 km
2026-04-24 00:14spill, 8 min~3.2 km
2026-03-30 10:43spill, 4 min~0.2 km
2026-03-30 10:43spill, 4 min~0.2 km
2026-03-17 09:47spill, 1 min~3.2 km
2026-03-17 09:47spill, 1 min~3.2 km
2026-03-02 13:29spill, 727 min~2.8 km
2026-03-02 13:29spill, 727 min~2.8 km
2026-02-18 21:09spill, 354 min~3.3 km
2026-02-18 21:09spill, 354 min~3.3 km
2025-11-12 12:23spill, 3 min~0.3 km
2025-11-12 12:23spill, 3 min~0.3 km
Take action — email SWW / your MPGot ill here? Build a reportReport pollution

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—611 cfu/100ml10 cfu/100ml0
2020—1014 cfu/100ml12 cfu/100ml0
2021—2016 cfu/100ml15 cfu/100ml0
2022—1011 cfu/100ml11 cfu/100ml0
2023—1014 cfu/100ml12 cfu/100ml0
2024—1013 cfu/100ml10 cfu/100ml0
2025excellent1511 cfu/100ml10 cfu/100ml0
2026—2014 cfu/100ml10 cfu/100ml1 of 20

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.

Porthleven Sands — frequently asked questions

Is it safe to swim at Porthleven Sands today?

Porthleven Sands 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 Porthleven Sands?

111 storm-overflow spills were recorded near Porthleven Sands in 2025 (EA Event Duration Monitoring), and 95 spill events have been logged nearby so far this year.

What is Porthleven Sands's bathing water classification?

Porthleven Sands is classified excellent for 2025 by the Environment Agency.

Data & provenance

Last updated
10 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
Download
Sample timeline (JSON) · All beaches (CSV)
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