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In 2024, the quality of bathing waters across the European Union remained high, with 96 percent meeting minimum standards and 85 percent classified as "excellent." Only a small fraction, about 1.5 percent, was rated as "poor," according to the European Environment Agency (EEA), as reported by Agence France-Presse. These figures are consistent with the previous year’s results.
Jessika Roswall, the EU Commissioner for Environment and Water Sustainability, reassured the public, stating that Europeans can swim confidently at most bathing sites, which comply with strict quality standards.
The assessment covered over 22,000 sites within the EU, Albania, and Switzerland. Water quality is categorized into four levels - “excellent,” “good,” “fair,” or “poor” - based primarily on bacteria levels, which serve as indicators of pollution, often linked to sewage or agricultural runoff.
Leading the rankings, Cyprus boasts 99.2 percent of its bathing waters rated "excellent," followed closely by Bulgaria with 97.9 percent, Greece at 97 percent, Austria at 95.8 percent, and Croatia with 95.2 percent.
At the opposite end, Albania saw a significant decline, with only 16 percent of its waters rated "excellent," dropping over 25 percentage points compared to the previous year.
France’s water quality falls below the EU average, with 74.2 percent of its bathing sites rated "excellent" and 3.4 percent falling into the "poor" category.
The EEA highlights that coastal waters tend to have better quality than inland waters due to more frequent water renewal and natural purification processes. Lakes, rivers, and streams, on the other hand, are more vulnerable to temporary pollution spikes caused by heavy rainfall or droughts.
In 2023, 321 sites were categorized as having "poor" water quality, but improvements were noted at 67 of these sites in 2024.
When water quality is found to be poor, local authorities are mandated to prohibit bathing in the affected areas for the next season, take measures to reduce pollution, and protect public health.
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