NRW take water samples from over 100 Welsh beaches

STAFF from Natural Resources Wales (NRW) is back in the sea, taking water samples from more than 100 of the country’s beaches.

The summer testing season normally runs from mid-May to the end of September but was delayed this year due to the coronavirus.

It got up and running again on June 22 at 105 beaches, from Barry all the way up to Prestatyn.

NRW said sampling will be less frequent than normal but will still be in line with the governing bathing water directive.

“We continue to monitor the ongoing advice from Government in relation to restrictions due to Covid-19 and may need to react to future guidance,” said an NRW spokeswoman.

The water samples are brought to a laboratory at Swansea University’s Singleton Campus, where microbiologists test them for bacteria which reveal the presence of human or animal feces.

Both these can affect human health if swallowed and can indicate run-off from livestock farms.

Annual ratings classify beaches site as excellent, good, sufficient, or poor, based on measurements taken over a four-year period.

The most recent classification for Aberavon beach and Swansea beach is good while Langland, Caswell, Port Eynon, Rhossili, and Carmarthenshire’s Burry Port and Pendine, are all excellent.

Testing used to be carried at a laboratory on the outskirts of Llanelli before the new facility in Swansea opened in 2017.

Beaches across Wales have been busy during this week’s heatwave but many toilets remain closed.