THE Environment Agency has responded to claims its bathing water testing is ‘outdated’ and ‘unfit for purpose’.

Environmental group The Friends of the River Teign argues the current testing system—weekly samples with results taking up to 48 hours—fails to capture the worst pollution events and leaves the public exposed.

Stuart Reynolds, from FORT, said: ‘These outdated methods are no longer fit for purpose.

‘We need rapid response testing giving realtime information.

‘Testing weekly is testing weakly.

‘We can, and must, do better—but that requires funding, clearer standards and a commitment to change.

‘New testing methods exist, and we’re ready to use them.’

But the EA says its bathing water monitoring uses accredited laboratory methods that meet national and international standards.

Its response comes as the Channel 4 documdrama Dirty Business highlights the scandal of sewage pollution and features the death of eight-year-old Heather Preen who contracted E-coli while on holiday in Dawlish Warren.

An Environment Agency spokesperson said:

‘Our sympathies are with the family of Heather Preen.

‘Dirty Business raises important issues about water quality, the actions of water companies and regulation of the sector over recent decades.

‘Our priority is always to protect the environment for people and wildlife, and the organisation has undergone significant changes in recent years to better tackle water pollution.

‘More people, better data and increased powers mean we will always act on intelligence of potential offences.

‘This year we are on track to do 10,000 inspections of water company assets, rooting out wrongdoing and driving better performance.

‘Since 2015 we have concluded 69 prosecutions against water and sewerage companies securing fines of over £153 million.

‘Bathing water quality has improved dramatically since the 1990s.

‘In 2025, 93per cent of sites met the minimum Sufficient standard, with 85per cent rated Good or Excellent.’

While the Environment Agency is not responsible for public health, it says it took regular samples of water quality at the bathing site at Dawlish Warren in July-August 1999 and provided detailed evidence throughout the inquest.

The spokesman continued: ‘Our bathing water testing provides annual classifications, identifies long-term trends, and informs regulatory action against polluters.

'It is not designed as a daily live safety rating.

‘Results from the laboratory testing of samples, meeting national and international standards, can take 24 to 36 hours so where conditions suggest risks to the quality of bathing waters we issue bathing warnings via our SWIMFO website.’