The weather in the UK hasn’t been great this summer, but this week it’s been brightening up. To make the most of it you may have decided to head out to the seaside.
After all, there's sun, sea and sand, not to mention the kids will love a good beach day with plenty of swimming, classic games and a fish and chips on the pier. If there’s an arcade, donkeys or paddleboards even better.
The UK has dozens of gorgeous hotspots to choose from. Whether that’s Cornish beaches that "look like Hawaii", West Sussex's "Caribbean-like water" or the impressive Jurassic Coast.
READ MORE: People warned not to swim at popular Welsh beaches as sewage pumps into water
However, the nation has a problem when it comes to sewage. Mostly, that overflows and flooding can cause human waste and other pollutants to flood into our waters.
The sewage doesn’t always avoid beaches where you and your family could be swimming. Luckily, there’s an easy way to check whether any beach you’re going to has been polluted before you head out for the day.
A handy map created by Surfers Against Sewage lets you check the latest up-to-date information on your favourite beaches. There’s an interactive map that highlights all the beaches that have a sewage pollution alert, a pollution risk forecast or incident alert, poor annual classification or maintenance.
Current warnings include one at Heacham which states bathing is not advised due to poo annual classification. The website states: "The sea is cloudy here due to tidal movements stirring up the sediment. There are no sewer overflows discharging directly onto the beach but there are long and short sea outfalls at Hunstanton."
Down in Bognor Regis there is also a poor annual classification. It states: "The beach is backed by beach huts and a promenade with a pier just to the east. There are 8 sewer overflows spread out across the length of this beach with several more to the east and west."
Sadly, up in Lancashire, Bispham currently has a pollution alert. It states: "Storm sewage has been discharged from a sewer overflow in this location within the past 48 hours.
"A number of sewer overflows from the urban area of Blackpool to the south may affect water quality here."
You can check out the map here to see if your favourite beaches are affected – simply move around the map and click on the tags on each beach.
The map currently covers England, Scotland, Wales and has some information on Northern Ireland which has recently been added to the programme. It monitors water quality at over 450 river and coastal locations so you can swim, surf, paddle or splash without the risk of getting sick.
Surfers Against Sewage also state the risks of swimming in polluted water. It said: "Appallingly, the UK’s water users are as likely to become ill from seawater as they were in the 1990s, with conditions ranging from sore throats and upset stomachs to serious illnesses like gastroenteritis, hepatitis and E. coli. According to the European Centre for Environment and Human Health, people who swim or bodyboard in UK waters regularly are three times more likely to have antibiotic resistant E. coli in their guts."
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