Indicator 14.40 Bathing sites with excellent water quality

The indicator shows the share of inland and coastal bathing sites with excellent water quality in the EU and in other European countries. Bathing water quality is assessed according to standards for microbiological parameters (intestinal Enterococci and Escherichia coli). The indicator is calculated based on the moving average of at least 16 sampling events in four years to be sure that a realistic bathing water classification is achieved. The Bathing Water Directive (BWD) requires Member States to identify and assess the quality of all inland and marine bathing waters and to classify these waters as ‘poor’, ‘sufficient’, ‘good’ or ‘excellent’ depending on the levels of faecal bacteria detected.

Indicator is used to monitor progress towards SDG 14 on conserving and sustainably using the oceans, seas and marine recources for sustainable development, and towards SDG 6 on ensuring availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all which are embedded in the European Commission’s Priorities under ‘Sustaining our quality of life: food security, water and nature’.

The EU Bathing Water Directive is one of the success stories in EU water policy, aimed to protect human health and the environment by complementing the Water Framework Directive.