Porthpean water quality

GREEN

designated bathing water · · South West Water

Porthpean is a designated bathing water in Cornwall, currently rated GREEN for swimming — No recent overflow, no pollution warning, low rainfall, no high samples. Its latest Environment Agency classification is excellent (2025), and 198 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?
Looking good right now
No recent overflow, no pollution warning, low rainfall, no high samples.
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: GREEN No recent overflow, no pollution warning, low rainfall, no high samples.

  • Active overflows nearby: 0
  • Recent overflows (48h): 0
  • Rainfall (48h): 2.9 mm

Official EA classification

excellent (2025)

Latest official sample

2026-08-05 — E.coli 10, enterococci 10 cfu/100ml

Latest independent sample

None published

Pollution & environment data

2.9 mm
Rainfall 48h
8.5 mm
Rainfall 7d
10
Outfalls within 5 km
198
Spills (2025, official)
15
Spills 2026 so far (live)
2
Spills last 30d
falling 0.78m
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 Porthpean

Download CSV

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

17 discharge events
StartEndOutfallDistance
2026-07-22 12:382026-07-22 12:43SANDY RIVER~1.8 km
2026-07-17 07:08ongoingSANDY RIVER~1.8 km
2026-07-15 11:00ongoingSANDY RIVER~1.8 km
2026-07-15 10:452026-07-15 14:30SANDY RIVER~1.8 km
2026-07-15 10:302026-07-15 13:45SANDY RIVER~1.8 km
2026-07-07 12:302026-07-07 12:45TRIBUTARY OF WHITE RIVER~3.5 km
2026-07-07 11:352026-07-07 12:16TRIBUTARY OF WHITE RIVER~3.5 km
2026-06-10 09:352026-06-10 09:38TRIBUTARY OF WHITE RIVER~3.5 km
2026-06-06 07:572026-06-06 11:45ST AUSTELL RIVER~2.1 km
2026-06-03 19:532026-06-03 20:06ST AUSTELL BAY (C)~0.9 km
2026-05-21 09:482026-05-21 09:51POLGOOTH STREAM~3.2 km
2026-05-15 09:242026-05-15 09:25ST AUSTELL RIVER(S)~2.6 km
2026-05-01 09:152026-05-01 09:18winWINSFORD SPST_PSCSOEO_WINSFORD~0.8 km
2026-02-18 19:402026-02-18 20:00SANDY RIVER~1.8 km
2026-02-01 04:162026-02-01 04:35(C) ST AUSTELL BAY~3.4 km
2025-12-20 18:382025-12-20 18:46ST AUSTELL RIVER (S)~3.7 km
2025-10-23 07:412025-10-23 07:42ST AUSTELL BAY (C)~0.2 km
27 precise spill records (duration & volume)
WhenDetailDistance
2026-07-22 12:38spill, 6 min~1.8 km
2026-07-17 07:08spill, 7462 min~1.8 km
2026-07-15 11:00spill, 2490 min~1.8 km
2026-07-15 10:30spill, 14 min~1.8 km
2026-07-07 11:35spill, 41 min~3.5 km
2026-06-10 09:35spill, 2 min~3.5 km
2026-06-10 09:35spill, 2 min~3.5 km
2026-06-06 07:57spill, 228 min~2.1 km
2026-06-06 07:57spill, 228 min~2.1 km
2026-06-03 19:53spill, 13 min~0.9 km
2026-06-03 19:53spill, 13 min~0.9 km
2026-05-21 09:48spill, 2 min~3.2 km
2026-05-21 09:48spill, 2 min~3.2 km
2026-05-15 09:24spill, 1 min~2.6 km
2026-05-15 09:24spill, 1 min~2.6 km
2026-05-01 09:15spill, 2 min~0.8 km
2026-05-01 09:15spill, 2 min~0.8 km
2026-02-18 19:40spill, 21 min~1.8 km
2026-02-18 19:40spill, 21 min~1.8 km
2026-02-01 04:16spill, 20 min~3.4 km
2026-02-01 04:16spill, 20 min~3.4 km
2026-01-08 11:29spill, 2 min~4.5 km
2026-01-08 11:29spill, 2 min~4.5 km
2025-12-20 18:38spill, 8 min~3.7 km
2025-12-20 18:38spill, 8 min~3.7 km
2025-10-23 07:41spill, 1 min~0.2 km
2025-10-23 07:41spill, 1 min~0.2 km
Take action — email SWW / your MPGot ill here? Build a reportReport pollution

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
2020—312 cfu/100ml10 cfu/100ml0
2021—523 cfu/100ml10 cfu/100ml0
2022—1012 cfu/100ml15 cfu/100ml0
2023—1010 cfu/100ml10 cfu/100ml0
2024—1011 cfu/100ml12 cfu/100ml0
2025excellent2013 cfu/100ml12 cfu/100ml0
2026—1012 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.

Porthpean — frequently asked questions

Is it safe to swim at Porthpean today?

Porthpean is currently rated GREEN: No recent overflow, no pollution warning, low rainfall, no high samples. This is guidance only — also check official alerts and use your judgement.

Has there been a sewage spill near Porthpean?

198 storm-overflow spills were recorded near Porthpean in 2025 (EA Event Duration Monitoring), and 15 spill events have been logged nearby so far this year.

What is Porthpean's bathing water classification?

Porthpean is classified excellent for 2025 by the Environment Agency.

Data & provenance

Last updated
5 min ago (2026-08-26 18:45 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, 10 outfalls monitored within 5 km.
Risk model
v0.4
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Sample timeline (JSON) · All beaches (CSV)
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