Poland has the lowest percentage of batching sites with ‘excellent water quality,’ according to a report by the European Environment Agency and the European Commission.
The report, which summarizes the quality of bathing waters in Europe in 2023, took into account EU member states, as well as Albania and Switzerland.
The study showed that the vast majority of bathing sites in Europe met the strictest EU standards of ‘excellent’ quality last year.
Of the 22,000 sites surveyed, as many as 85.4% were deemed excellent, while 1.5% were rated as bathing sites with ‘poor’ water quality.
Water quality in the seas is generally better compared to inland waters. The report found 89% of coastal bathing sites had excellent quality compared to nearly 79% of inland bathing waters.
The study showed that the vast majority of bathing sites in Europe met the strictest EU standards of ‘excellent’ quality last year.
Of the 22,000 sites surveyed, as many as 85.4% were deemed excellent, while 1.5% were rated as bathing sites with ‘poor’ water quality.
Water quality in the seas is generally better compared to inland waters. The report found 89% of coastal bathing sites had excellent quality compared to nearly 79% of inland bathing waters.
In Cyprus 97.6% of the bodies of water were deemed to have excellent water quality. In second place with 96.9% was Austria, followed by Croatia with 96.7%. Non-EU Albania came last with 41.2%, while Poland was the worst-performing EU country with only 54.9% of its bathing areas considered excellent.
Hungary, Estonia, Belgium, or Romania were also among the EU countries with the lowest percentage of very clean bathing areas. The EU average was 85.4%.
The report states that Poland has 739 bathing sites, 406 of which received ‘excellent’ water quality status. The quality of 21 of them was rated as ‘bad.’
In the category of sea water cleanliness, Croatia ranked first with 99.1% of its coastal bathing areas rated as ‘perfectly’ clean. Second place was awarded to Cyprus, where 97.6% of sea bathing sites received a similar status, followed by Greece with a score of 95.8%.
Worst-ranked Albania was followed by Estonia at 46.7%, Poland at 55.1%, and Finland at 65.4%, with an EU average of 88.8%.
The report, in its summary, stated that “bathing is safe at most bathing sites in the European Union.”
It added that “96% of the waters met the minimum quality standards required by the Bathing Water Directive, a slight increase compared to the previous year.”
The EU institutions noted that “although the condition of most European bathing waters is considered excellent, surface and groundwater pollution remains significant.”
Hungary, Estonia, Belgium, or Romania were also among the EU countries with the lowest percentage of very clean bathing areas. The EU average was 85.4%.
The report states that Poland has 739 bathing sites, 406 of which received ‘excellent’ water quality status. The quality of 21 of them was rated as ‘bad.’
Sea water cleanliness
In the category of sea water cleanliness, Croatia ranked first with 99.1% of its coastal bathing areas rated as ‘perfectly’ clean. Second place was awarded to Cyprus, where 97.6% of sea bathing sites received a similar status, followed by Greece with a score of 95.8%.
Worst-ranked Albania was followed by Estonia at 46.7%, Poland at 55.1%, and Finland at 65.4%, with an EU average of 88.8%.
The report, in its summary, stated that “bathing is safe at most bathing sites in the European Union.”
It added that “96% of the waters met the minimum quality standards required by the Bathing Water Directive, a slight increase compared to the previous year.”
The EU institutions noted that “although the condition of most European bathing waters is considered excellent, surface and groundwater pollution remains significant.”
