皇冠体育app

• Record numbers expected to holiday at home this summer
• Visitors urged to 鈥榢now before you go鈥� to blue spaces
• Check water quality before taking the plunge

Staycationers are being urged to become #WaterWarriors and make the right choices when visiting beaches, rivers and lakes this summer in a new Environment Agency campaign launched today.

Record numbers are expected to holiday at home due to ongoing coronavirus uncertainties, with an estimated 30 million people expected to visit our beaches (source: ), and still more visiting rivers and lakes across the country.

Many will flock to popular English beaches and lakes designated as bathing waters to swim and enjoy the country鈥檚 blue spaces.

Visitors are being encouraged to 鈥榢now before you go鈥� by checking the Environment Agency鈥檚 , which provides鈥痠nstant, easy access to information on over 400 bathing waters in England, including the latest water quality classification 鈥� and, for some bathing waters, when warnings are issued due to the temporary effects on water quality after a rainy day or high tides. Having this information at the fingertips ensures people have the most up-to-date information before they take the plunge.

Joint advice with Public Health England is also available on open water swimming 鈥� that鈥檚 swimming anywhere that isn鈥檛 a public pool - at Swim healthy.

Staycationers are also being encouraged to consider how their actions, whether at home or on holiday, can affect water quality and to remember a few simple actions they can take to protect blue spaces for everyone:

• only flush the 3Ps 鈥� pee, poo and paper
• never pour fats and oils down the sink鈥�
• never flush wet wipes and sanitary products down the loo鈥�
• always take your rubbish away from the beach鈥�
• always bag and bin your dog鈥檚 poo鈥�
• never pour waste liquids or throw litter down surface water drains鈥�

Sally Harvey, Deputy Director, Environment Agency, Kent, East Sussex & South London Area, said:

皇冠体育app stunning county that is Kent will see more people than ever taking鈥痑 staycation and enjoying time in and around鈥痮ur blue spaces, be it beaches, rivers or lakes this summer;鈥痠t鈥檚 vital鈥痶o鈥痥now鈥痟ow we can all protect them.

As the environmental regulator, the Environment Agency plays a key role in protecting and enhancing blue spaces, but it鈥檚 important to remember that individual actions really do count. Small actions in the home or at holiday accommodation can have a damaging impact on water quality. Wet wipes, kitchen towels, sanitary products, fats, oil and grease don鈥檛 belong down the drain, but are still found in huge quantities, leading to build-up, blockages and poor water quality.

Although the standard of bathing water quality in England is very high, it is always a good idea to check the water quality and whether any pollution warnings are in force. We want people to use the water safely, be aware of the risks and seek the right advice before taking the plunge.

We鈥檙e calling on people to check the Swimfo site for bathing water quality and follow #WaterWarriors on our social media channels.