England · Sefton
Ainsdale
Caution. Annual classification is only Sufficient.
Water quality only This says nothing about tides, rip currents, cold water shock or lifeguard cover. Cold water and currents are dangerous even when the water is clean. Read the local signs before you go in. What we cannot tell you.
Checked UK time
Why this verdict
- Annual classification
- Sufficient (neutral factor)
- Pollution risk forecast
- Normal (positive factor)
- Latest E. coli
- 130 cfu/100ml (positive factor)
- Latest intestinal enterococci
- 10 cfu/100ml (positive factor)
Recent sewage discharges nearby
Storm overflows operated by United Utilities Water Limited within ten kilometres in the last 48 hours.
- Ongoing since 13 days agoUUP00577 · into Three Pool Waterway7.9km from the bathing water
Latest bacteria reading
Latest sample · 25 August 2026 · 7 days ago
- E. coli
- 130cfu/100ml
- Intestinal enterococci
- 10cfu/100ml
The regulator samples weekly during the bathing season. E. coli and intestinal enterococci are the indicator organisms used in the official classification.
Sewage spills, 2021 to 2025
The Environment Agency links 5 storm overflows to Ainsdale. In 2025 they discharged 83 times.
Up 361% since 2021, from 18 spills to 83.
Counting every monitored overflow within ten kilometres instead, whether or not it drains here, gives 193 spills across 14 overflows in 2025.
Common questions
- Can you swim at Ainsdale?
- Caution. Annual classification is only Sufficient. Ainsdale is a designated bathing water, so it is sampled and rated every season. This answer covers water quality only, not tides, currents or lifeguard cover.
- What is the water quality like at Ainsdale?
- Ainsdale is rated Sufficient in the regulator's latest annual classification, a percentile taken over readings from up to four bathing seasons. The most recent sample, taken 25 August 2026, showed 130 cfu/100ml of E. coli and 10 cfu/100ml of intestinal enterococci.
- Has there been sewage at Ainsdale recently?
- Yes. 1 storm overflow within ten kilometres of Ainsdale: 1 discharging now.
Where this data comes from
- Contains Environment Agency information © Environment Agency and database right
- Contains water-company storm overflow data, licensed under OGL v3
- Spill counts from the Environment Agency EDM Storm Overflow Annual Returns, 2021 to 2025, published annually.
- View the regulator's full profile
Other beaches nearby
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Gareth Clubb