The European Environment Agency (EEA) has published its latest annual report on bathing water quality, showing that European countries continue to maintain high water quality standards while also warning that preserving these standards in the long term is becoming increasingly challenging.
Climate change, intense rainfall events, urbanization, growing tourism activities, and increasing environmental pressures are exerting a stronger influence on water systems across Europe. As a result, European water policy is placing greater emphasis on continuous monitoring and the timely identification of changes that may affect bathing water quality.
According to data from the European Environment Agency, more than 85 percent of Europe’s bathing waters were classified as having excellent quality, while nearly 96 percent met at least the minimum required standards. At the same time, the report highlights that growing environmental and climate-related pressures require the continued development of water monitoring and management systems.
An interesting aspect of the European bathing water monitoring system is its continuous evolution. During the past year, Croatia increased the number of officially monitored bathing water sites from 936 to 1,039 locations, further expanding the data collection network needed to protect public health and support effective bathing water management.
It is important to emphasize that the European bathing water monitoring system has a clearly defined purpose. Its primary objective is to protect public health by monitoring the microbiological quality of bathing waters and ensuring the timely identification of potential risks during the bathing season.
At the same time, the protection of water as a natural resource represents a much broader challenge that includes the preservation of surface waters, groundwater, aquatic ecosystems, and adaptation to the increasingly pronounced impacts of climate change and other environmental pressures.
The new European report demonstrates that the high quality of bathing waters is the result of decades of systematic work, the development of a robust legislative framework, and continuous investment in water protection. It also serves as a reminder that these achievements cannot be taken for granted and that maintaining high-quality bathing waters will require ongoing monitoring and adaptation to emerging challenges.
The European report “European Bathing Water Quality in 2025”, together with national datasets and an interactive map of bathing waters across Europe, is available on the website of the European Environment Agency.
