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In recent decades, European countries[1] have not only begun to manage higher number of bathing waters, but have also significantly improved their water quality. Great efforts have been made at numerous bathing sites to reduce and eliminate pollution, and ensure safe bathing at thousands of bathing waters across Europe. As a result, the percentage of bathing waters achieving at least ‘sufficient’ quality (the minimum quality standards set by the BWD) increased from just 74% in 1991 to over 95% in 2003, and has remained quite stable since then. The percent of bathing waters at the highest water quality (classified as ‘excellent’) increased from 53% in 1991 to 85% in 2019. In other words, more than eight out of ten of Europe’s monitored bathing waters now have ‘excellent’ water quality (Figure 3).

[1] Beside EU Member States, data have been reported also by three non-EU countries: Albania (from 2013), Montenegro (2010-2011) and Switzerland (from 2009).