LYME REGIS: Beaches failing tough new Environment Agency water quality standards is ‘not an option’, a town councillor has vowed.

New research from DEFRA shows that three West Dorset beaches – Church Cliff Beach and Front Beach in Lyme Regis and Seatown Beach between Bridport and Lyme – currently fail guideline standards for bathing water quality.

The Department for Environ-ment, Food and Rural Affairs recently released a research report entitled 2014 Compliance Report For Bathing Waters In England.

The report also reveals that Church Cliff Beach has failed current mandatory standards for bathing water, which comes after a previous ‘pass’ result in 2013.

From next year, more stringent EU regulations will be brought in for bathing spots around England and if beaches fail on water quality standards under the new rules, local authorities will have to display a sign advising against swimming.

Speaking about the new report, town councillor Mark Gage said: “Since Lyme Regis is a major resort, failing on water quality for us under the new tougher standards is not an option.”

The research follows work which began in October on a new major engineering project to deliver cleaner seas off Lyme Regis – which is due to be completed by January.

South West Water is constructing a 75-cubic metre storage tank at Uplyme Sewage Treatment Works to reduce the number of storm discharges during extreme wet weather.

Cllr Gage added: “We continue to work with South West Water, the Environment Agency and West Dorset District Council to ensure that we don’t fail the new standards.

“We are very grateful for the investment from South West Water which will definitely help the water quality, but we are also looking at all issues including water run offs into the River Lym and when sampling is done to make sure it’s representative.

“Regardless, we need to make it work and ensure our water quality reaches the minimum standard.

“The town council will be meeting up with all the agencies at the end of this month to continue to plan for how we can achieve this.”

In addition, DEFRA has said on its website that it is surveying the number of users of Church Cliff Beach in Lyme Regis.

The beach is one of 12 across the country that will be surveyed, and if the number of bathers using the beach is considered to be low, DEFRA will consult whether to remove the beach altogether from its list of bathing waters.

Bathing waters are defined as beaches, lakes or ponds that are used by a large number of bathers and have been designated under the bathing waters directive.

The full DEFRA report can be viewed at http://bit.ly/1EpdjNC.

For more about the engineering project see southwestwater.co.uk/evencleanerseas