Portreath water quality

RED

designated bathing water · · South West Water

Portreath 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 336 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 10:28
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: 4
  • Recent overflows (48h): 30
  • Rainfall (48h): 28.1 mm

Official EA classification

excellent (2025)

Latest official sample

2026-09-18 — E.coli 18, enterococci 10 cfu/100ml

Latest independent sample

None published

Pollution & environment data

28.1 mm
Rainfall 48h
55.5 mm
Rainfall 7d
9
Outfalls within 5 km
336
Spills (2025, official)
103
Spills 2026 so far (live)
66
Spills last 30d
high 2.64m
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 Portreath

Download CSV

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

103 discharge events
StartEndOutfallDistance
2026-10-24 14:002026-10-24 14:15RED RIVER~4.7 km
2026-10-24 13:462026-10-24 13:48RED RIVER~4.7 km
2026-10-24 12:45ongoingRED RIVER (S)~3.8 km
2026-10-24 12:31ongoingRED RIVER (S)~3.8 km
2026-10-24 11:152026-10-24 13:46TOLVADDON STREAM (S)~3.7 km
2026-10-24 11:022026-10-24 13:27TOLVADDON STREAM (S)~3.7 km
2026-10-24 10:15ongoingATLANTIC OCEAN (C)~1.1 km
2026-10-24 09:58ongoingATLANTIC OCEAN (C)~1.1 km
2026-10-23 07:152026-10-23 07:30RED RIVER~4.7 km
2026-10-23 07:042026-10-23 07:06RED RIVER~4.7 km
2026-10-23 04:522026-10-23 04:54RED RIVER~4.7 km
2026-10-23 04:302026-10-23 15:01ATLANTIC OCEAN (C)~1.1 km
2026-10-23 04:302026-10-23 04:45RED RIVER~4.7 km
2026-10-23 04:072026-10-23 14:46ATLANTIC OCEAN (C)~1.1 km
2026-10-23 04:002026-10-23 06:00TOLVADDON STREAM (S)~3.7 km
2026-10-23 03:532026-10-23 07:15RED RIVER (S)~3.8 km
2026-10-23 03:462026-10-23 05:45TOLVADDON STREAM (S)~3.7 km
2026-10-23 01:452026-10-23 02:45RED RIVER (S)~3.8 km
2026-10-23 01:152026-10-23 03:30ATLANTIC OCEAN (C)~1.1 km
2026-10-23 00:512026-10-23 03:15ATLANTIC OCEAN (C)~1.1 km
2026-10-23 00:452026-10-23 01:15TOLVADDON STREAM (S)~3.7 km
2026-10-23 00:252026-10-23 00:58TOLVADDON STREAM (S)~3.7 km
2026-10-23 00:242026-10-23 00:26RED RIVER~4.7 km
2026-10-22 20:542026-10-22 20:56RED RIVER~4.7 km
2026-10-22 20:192026-10-22 21:19ATLANTIC OCEAN (C)~1.1 km
2026-10-22 19:012026-10-22 22:00ATLANTIC OCEAN (C)~1.1 km
2026-10-22 18:462026-10-22 20:46RED RIVER (S)~3.8 km
2026-10-22 18:452026-10-22 22:30RED RIVER~4.7 km
2026-10-22 18:392026-10-22 21:45ATLANTIC OCEAN (C)~1.1 km
2026-10-22 18:382026-10-22 22:15RED RIVER~4.7 km
2026-10-22 18:322026-10-22 20:36RED RIVER (S)~3.8 km
2026-10-22 18:022026-10-22 21:01TOLVADDON STREAM (S)~3.7 km
2026-10-22 17:432026-10-22 20:46TOLVADDON STREAM (S)~3.7 km
2026-10-22 16:162026-10-22 16:46TOLVADDON STREAM (S)~3.7 km
2026-10-21 23:302026-10-21 23:32RED RIVER~4.7 km
2026-10-21 22:152026-10-21 22:45TOLVADDON STREAM (S)~3.7 km
2026-10-21 22:042026-10-21 22:06RED RIVER~4.7 km
2026-10-21 22:002026-10-21 22:15TRIB OF THE RED RIVER VIA SWS~4.7 km
2026-10-21 21:562026-10-21 22:23TOLVADDON STREAM (S)~3.7 km
2026-10-21 21:482026-10-21 21:54TRIB OF THE RED RIVER VIA SWS~4.7 km
2026-10-21 10:082026-10-21 10:09TRIB OF THE RED RIVER VIA SWS~4.7 km
2026-10-21 02:162026-10-21 02:18RED RIVER~4.7 km
2026-10-21 01:152026-10-21 02:00ATLANTIC OCEAN (C)~1.1 km
2026-10-21 00:482026-10-21 01:41ATLANTIC OCEAN (C)~1.1 km
2026-10-21 00:452026-10-21 01:15RED RIVER (S)~3.8 km
2026-10-21 00:302026-10-21 01:15TOLVADDON STREAM (S)~3.7 km
2026-10-21 00:252026-10-21 01:00RED RIVER (S)~3.8 km
2026-10-21 00:002026-10-21 01:00TOLVADDON STREAM (S)~3.7 km
2026-10-20 23:152026-10-21 00:15TOLVADDON STREAM (S)~3.7 km
2026-10-20 23:002026-10-20 23:15TRIB OF THE RED RIVER VIA SWS~4.7 km
2026-10-20 22:422026-10-20 22:58TRIB OF THE RED RIVER VIA SWS~4.7 km
2026-10-16 03:322026-10-16 03:34RED RIVER~4.7 km
2026-10-15 08:522026-10-15 08:54REDRUTH STREAM~4.5 km
2026-09-30 02:002026-09-30 02:02RED RIVER~4.7 km
2026-09-29 22:152026-09-29 23:00RED RIVER (S)~3.8 km
2026-09-29 21:512026-09-29 22:39RED RIVER (S)~3.8 km
2026-09-29 21:152026-09-29 23:45ATLANTIC OCEAN (C)~1.1 km
2026-09-29 20:482026-09-29 23:18ATLANTIC OCEAN (C)~1.1 km
2026-09-29 20:152026-09-29 20:30ATLANTIC OCEAN (C)~1.1 km
2026-09-29 20:152026-09-29 22:00RED RIVER (S)~3.8 km
2026-09-29 19:452026-09-29 21:45TOLVADDON STREAM (S)~3.7 km
2026-09-29 19:452026-09-29 20:45REDRUTH STREAM~4.5 km
2026-09-29 19:302026-09-29 19:45TRIB OF THE RED RIVER VIA SWS~4.7 km
2026-09-29 19:282026-09-29 19:34REDRUTH STREAM~4.5 km
2026-09-29 19:222026-09-29 21:22TOLVADDON STREAM (S)~3.7 km
2026-09-29 19:122026-09-29 19:34TRIB OF THE RED RIVER VIA SWS~4.7 km
2026-09-08 08:272026-09-08 08:34ATLANTIC OCEAN (C)~1.1 km
2026-09-08 08:042026-09-08 08:06RED RIVER~4.7 km
2026-09-08 07:062026-09-08 07:40TOLVADDON STREAM (S)~3.7 km
2026-09-08 06:372026-09-08 08:03RED RIVER (S)~3.8 km
2026-09-08 02:302026-09-08 02:30RED RIVER~4.7 km
2026-09-08 00:452026-09-08 01:00RED RIVER~4.7 km
2026-08-30 12:302026-08-30 12:45TOLVADDON STREAM (S)~3.7 km
2026-08-30 12:102026-08-30 12:37TOLVADDON STREAM (S)~3.7 km
2026-08-29 03:152026-08-29 04:30TOLVADDON STREAM (S)~3.7 km
2026-08-29 02:562026-08-29 03:42TOLVADDON STREAM (S)~3.7 km
2026-08-27 12:152026-08-27 12:45ATLANTIC OCEAN (C)~1.1 km
2026-08-27 12:102026-08-27 12:26ATLANTIC OCEAN (C)~1.1 km
2026-08-27 11:042026-08-27 11:08REDRUTH STREAM~4.5 km
2026-08-27 03:452026-08-27 04:45ATLANTIC OCEAN (C)~1.1 km
2026-08-27 03:412026-08-27 03:56ATLANTIC OCEAN (C)~1.1 km
2026-08-27 02:002026-08-27 02:30TOLVADDON STREAM (S)~3.7 km
2026-08-27 02:002026-08-27 02:15REDRUTH STREAM~4.5 km
2026-08-27 01:462026-08-27 02:15TOLVADDON STREAM (S)~3.7 km
2026-08-21 08:152026-08-21 08:45RED RIVER (S)~3.8 km
2026-08-21 08:072026-08-21 08:34RED RIVER (S)~3.8 km
2026-08-21 08:002026-08-21 08:45TOLVADDON STREAM (S)~3.7 km
2026-08-21 07:462026-08-21 08:02TRIB OF THE RED RIVER VIA SWS~4.7 km
2026-08-21 07:442026-08-21 08:19TOLVADDON STREAM (S)~3.7 km
2026-08-21 06:152026-08-21 06:45TOLVADDON STREAM (S)~3.7 km
2026-07-23 19:192026-07-23 19:23LOCAL STREAM (S)~4.6 km
2026-07-23 10:202026-07-23 10:21LOCAL STREAM (S)~4.6 km
2026-07-19 19:302026-07-19 19:45LOCAL STREAM (S)~4.6 km
2026-07-19 19:132026-07-19 19:15LOCAL STREAM (S)~4.6 km
2026-06-25 23:362026-06-25 23:48TRIB OF THE RED RIVER VIA SWS~4.7 km
2026-06-08 04:252026-06-08 04:42TOLVADDON STREAM (S)~3.7 km
2026-06-06 10:082026-06-06 10:21ATLANTIC OCEAN (C)~1.1 km
2026-06-06 08:262026-06-06 08:28RED RIVER~4.7 km
2026-04-30 10:562026-04-30 10:58TRIB OF PORTREATH STREAM~4.0 km
2026-03-02 14:092026-03-02 23:43PORTHTOWAN STREAM (S)~4.7 km
2026-03-01 11:032026-03-01 14:03LOCAL STREAM (S)~4.6 km
2026-02-28 22:052026-02-28 23:11RED RIVER (S)~3.8 km
2026-02-08 16:582026-02-08 17:06REDRUTH STREAM~4.5 km
87 precise spill records (duration & volume)
WhenDetailDistance
2026-10-24 13:58spill, 2 min~4.7 km
2026-10-24 13:02spill, 2 min~4.7 km
2026-10-24 12:31spill, 118 min~3.8 km
2026-10-24 11:24spill, 2 min~4.7 km
2026-10-24 11:02spill, 145 min~3.7 km
2026-10-24 09:58spill, 272 min~1.1 km
2026-10-23 07:04spill, 2 min~4.7 km
2026-10-23 05:54spill, 2 min~4.7 km
2026-10-23 04:52spill, 2 min~4.7 km
2026-10-23 04:18spill, 2 min~4.7 km
2026-10-23 04:07spill, 624 min~1.1 km
2026-10-23 04:04spill, 2 min~4.7 km
2026-10-23 03:53spill, 167 min~3.8 km
2026-10-23 03:46spill, 90 min~3.7 km
2026-10-23 01:34spill, 48 min~3.8 km
2026-10-23 00:51spill, 131 min~1.1 km
2026-10-23 00:25spill, 33 min~3.7 km
2026-10-23 00:24spill, 2 min~4.7 km
2026-10-22 20:54spill, 2 min~4.7 km
2026-10-22 20:19spill, 60 min~1.1 km
2026-10-22 20:05spill, 0 min~1.1 km
2026-10-22 18:39spill, 66 min~1.1 km
2026-10-22 18:38spill, 0 min~4.7 km
2026-10-22 18:32spill, 125 min~3.8 km
2026-10-22 18:25spill, 7 min~1.1 km
2026-10-22 17:43spill, 163 min~3.7 km
2026-10-22 17:30spill, 2 min~4.7 km
2026-10-22 16:03spill, 32 min~3.7 km
2026-10-21 23:30spill, 2 min~4.7 km
2026-10-21 22:04spill, 2 min~4.7 km
2026-10-21 21:56spill, 27 min~3.7 km
2026-10-21 21:48spill, 6 min~4.7 km
2026-10-21 10:08spill, 0 min~4.7 km
2026-10-21 02:16spill, 2 min~4.7 km
2026-10-21 00:48spill, 52 min~1.1 km
2026-10-21 00:25spill, 35 min~3.8 km
2026-10-21 00:00spill, 60 min~3.7 km
2026-10-20 23:20spill, 2 min~4.7 km
2026-10-20 22:42spill, 16 min~4.7 km
2026-10-16 03:32spill, 2 min~4.7 km
2026-10-15 08:52spill, 2 min~4.5 km
2026-09-30 02:00spill, 2 min~4.7 km
2026-09-29 21:51spill, 48 min~3.8 km
2026-09-29 20:48spill, 151 min~1.1 km
2026-09-29 19:28spill, 6 min~4.5 km
2026-09-29 19:22spill, 121 min~3.7 km
2026-09-29 19:12spill, 22 min~4.7 km
2026-09-08 08:27spill, 7 min~1.1 km
2026-09-08 08:04spill, 2 min~4.7 km
2026-09-08 07:06spill, 34 min~3.7 km
2026-09-08 06:37spill, 87 min~3.8 km
2026-09-08 02:28spill, 0 min~4.7 km
2026-08-30 12:10spill, 28 min~3.7 km
2026-08-29 02:56spill, 47 min~3.7 km
2026-08-27 12:10spill, 16 min~1.1 km
2026-08-27 11:04spill, 4 min~4.5 km
2026-08-27 03:41spill, 15 min~1.1 km
2026-08-27 02:51spill, 24 min~1.1 km
2026-08-27 01:46spill, 29 min~3.7 km
2026-08-27 01:46spill, 10 min~4.5 km
2026-08-21 08:07spill, 27 min~3.8 km
2026-08-21 07:46spill, 16 min~4.7 km
2026-08-21 07:44spill, 35 min~3.7 km
2026-08-21 05:59spill, 29 min~3.7 km
2026-07-23 19:19spill, 4 min~4.6 km
2026-07-23 17:06spill, 1 min~4.6 km
2026-07-23 10:20spill, 1 min~4.6 km
2026-07-23 07:50spill, 1 min~4.6 km
2026-07-19 19:13spill, 2 min~4.6 km
2026-06-25 23:36spill, 12 min~4.7 km
2026-06-25 23:36spill, 12 min~4.7 km
2026-06-08 04:25spill, 17 min~3.7 km
2026-06-08 04:25spill, 17 min~3.7 km
2026-06-06 10:08spill, 13 min~1.1 km
2026-06-06 10:08spill, 13 min~1.1 km
2026-06-06 08:26spill, 2 min~4.7 km
2026-06-06 08:26spill, 2 min~4.7 km
2026-04-30 10:56spill, 2 min~4.0 km
2026-04-30 10:56spill, 2 min~4.0 km
2026-03-02 14:09spill, 573 min~4.7 km
2026-03-02 14:09spill, 573 min~4.7 km
2026-03-01 11:03spill, 180 min~4.6 km
2026-03-01 11:03spill, 180 min~4.6 km
2026-02-28 22:05spill, 66 min~3.8 km
2026-02-28 22:05spill, 66 min~3.8 km
2026-02-08 16:58spill, 8 min~4.5 km
2026-02-08 16:58spill, 8 min~4.5 km
Take action — email SWW / your MPGot ill here? Build a reportReport pollution

Water quality — 7-year trend

Water quality improved in 2026: average E. coli was 22% lower than 2025.

YearEA classificationSamplesE. coli (geo-mean)Enterococci (geo-mean)High readings
2019—315 cfu/100ml21 cfu/100ml0
2020—310 cfu/100ml10 cfu/100ml0
2021—513 cfu/100ml10 cfu/100ml0
2022—1023 cfu/100ml15 cfu/100ml0
2023—1010 cfu/100ml11 cfu/100ml0
2024—2013 cfu/100ml11 cfu/100ml0
2025excellent2015 cfu/100ml14 cfu/100ml0
2026—1012 cfu/100ml10 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.

Portreath — frequently asked questions

Is it safe to swim at Portreath today?

Portreath 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 Portreath?

336 storm-overflow spills were recorded near Portreath in 2025 (EA Event Duration Monitoring), and 103 spill events have been logged nearby so far this year.

What is Portreath's bathing water classification?

Portreath is classified excellent for 2025 by the Environment Agency.

Data & provenance

Last updated
8 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, 9 outfalls monitored within 5 km.
Risk model
v0.4
Download
Sample timeline (JSON) · All beaches (CSV)
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