New Bathing Water Directive enters into force

Publication date: 24 March 2006

The Bathing Water Directive (2006/7/EC) enters into force today. Member States shall annually identify all bathing waters and define the length of the bathing season. They shall do so for the first time before the start of the first bathing season after 24 March 2008. The new Directive repeals and replaces Directive 76/160/EEC to reflect scientific knowledge gained since 1976.

2006_7_ec_bathing_water.pdf (408 KB)

This Directive aims to enhance public health and environment protection by laying down provisions for the monitoring and classification of bathing water. It also provides for extensive public information and participation (in line with the Århus Convention) as well as for comprehensive and modern management measures. The purpose of this Directive is to preserve, protect and improve the quality of the environment and to protect human health by complementing Directive 2000/60/EC (Water Framework Directive).

This Directive shall apply to any element of surface water where the competent authority expects a large number of people to bathe and has not imposed a permanent bathing prohibition, or issued permanent advice against bathing. It shall not apply to:
a) swimming pools and spa pools;
b) confined waters subject to treatment or used for therapeutic purposes;
c) artificially created confined waters separated from surface water and groundwater.

As stated this Directive will apply to surface water where a large number of people are expected to bathe, establishing a method for monitoring bathing water quality during the bathing season on the basis of two microbiological classification parameters (intestinal enterococci and escherischia coli) relevant for compliance with its provisions. It provides for the assessment of water quality on the basis of the set of water quality data compiled during the bathing seasons, establishing 4 levels of classification (poor, sufficient, good and excellent), a classification of "poor" might leading to a permanent bathing prohibition. The draft directive provides for the establishment of profiles describing the characteristics of the bathing water and identifying sources of pollution. The existence of pollution might result in the need for regular reviewing, information to the public and prohibition on bathing. In order to ease the monitoring burden for Member States, the draft directive proposes reduced monitoring frequencies if the bathing water quality proves to be constantly “good” or “excellent”.

Related News Item:
- Clean bathing water: MEPs approve deal (18 January 2006)