Devil’s Point and Firestone Bay are one step closer to becoming an official bathing water, with local MP Luke Pollard collecting the first water sample there alongside the Environment Agency.
The Environment Agency has agreed to test water quality at Devil’s Point and Firestone Bay during this year’s swimming season, following calls by Luke Pollard. This data will support the official application to the government to designate Devil’s Point as a bathing water.
If the application is successful, this would trigger a legal duty on the government to regularly test the water at Devil’s Point and to publicly report the results.
Devil’s Point is a popular bathing location but swimmers have been left in the dark about how clean the water is. Mr Pollard launched a campaign in January 2022 to designate it as an official bathing water, sparked by concerns around raw sewage discharge into Devon’s rivers and the sea.
Nearly 1,000 Plymothians signed Mr Pollard’s campaign petition earlier this year, which he presented to Parliament in March.
Luke said:
“I’m a wild swimmer and I want to see more people take a dip in the sea, but for that to happen we need to better understand the quality of the water we are swimming in.
“We’re so lucky to have Devil’s Point and Firestone Bay on our doorstep.
“Our campaign is gathering pace and I’m glad the Environment Agency has begun sampling the water to support our application, but there’s more to be done. I’m going to keep fighting for Devil’s Point and Firestone Bay to be made an official bathing water, so that regular water testing must be done by law.”
Bruce Newport, area environment manager at the Environment Agency, said:
“We welcome the passion of the local people who want this beach formally designated in law, which brings many legal protections and raises its profile as a safe bathing location.”
