Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment has he made of the effect of untreated sewage being discharged in storm water released into Langstone Harbour on the safety of local swimming in that area.

The Environment Agency (EA) carries out monitoring of specific bathing waters. The nearby designated bathing waters on Hayling Island, Beachlands West, Beachlands Central and Eastoke, and those on Portsea Island, Eastney and Southsea East, all consistently achieve a water quality classification of excellent.

The list of ‘designated’ bathing waters (issued by Defra) is carefully compiled to ensure that samples are taken at the most appropriate geographical locations. Langstone Harbour is not a designated bathing water and therefore does not benefit from the bacteriological monitoring that designated bathing waters receive.

The EA does not have any evidence that storm discharges into Langstone Harbour impact any designated bathing waters.

Storm discharges may impact water quality within the harbour and so there will be an increased risk for swimmers or other recreational water users here. The harbour, as it does not contain designated bathing waters, is monitored for the purpose of protecting fish and wildlife, not people.