Can you swim at Col-Huw Beach (Llantwit Major)?

Caution. Sewage discharge 6.0km away 2 days ago. Col-Huw Beach (Llantwit Major) 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 Col-Huw Beach (Llantwit Major)?

Col-Huw Beach (Llantwit Major) is rated Excellent in the regulator's 2025 annual classification, a percentile taken over readings from up to four bathing seasons. The most recent sample, taken 3 September 2026, showed 10 cfu/100ml of E. coli and 10 cfu/100ml of intestinal enterococci. That reading is too old to drive the verdict above.

Has there been sewage at Col-Huw Beach (Llantwit Major) recently?

Yes. 2 storm overflows within ten kilometres of Col-Huw Beach (Llantwit Major): 2 in the last 48 hours.

← All bathing waters

Wales · the Vale of Glamorgan

Friday 2 October

Col-Huw Beach (Llantwit Major)

Caution. Sewage discharge 6.0km away 2 days ago.

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 06:09 UK time

Why this verdict

Bathing season: Closed until 15 May (neutral factor)
Discharge nearby: 6.0km 2 days ago (negative factor)
Annual classification: Excellent (positive factor)
Latest E. coli: 10 cfu/100ml (positive factor)
Latest intestinal enterococci: 10 cfu/100ml (positive factor)

Out of season

Weekly sampling and the daily pollution-risk forecast pause on 30 September and resume on 15 May. This verdict rests on the annual classification, live storm-overflow data and rainfall in the last 24 hours.

Storm overflows are driven by rain, so they spill more in autumn and winter than in summer. See every spill happening now across the UK.

Water temperature

18.4°C Mild

Sea surface, modelled by Open-Meteo.

Tide

Tide is rising

High water about 10:20 Today
Low water about 16:40 Today
High water about 22:40 Today
Low water about 05:00 Tomorrow

Modelled by Open-Meteo and approximate. Checked against tide gauges these times ran up to half an hour early, so treat them as a guide to whether the water is coming in or going out, not as a tide table. For exact times see Admiralty EasyTide.

Recent sewage discharges nearby

Storm overflows operated by Welsh Water within ten kilometres in the last 48 hours.

Ended 2 days ago

Wick WwTW Overflow · into River Alyn

6.0km from the bathing water
Ended 8 hours ago

Cowbridge Llanbethian WwTW Storm Overflow · into River Thaw

7.5km from the bathing water

See Welsh Water's own storm-overflow map(opens in a new tab) →

See every spill happening now across the UK →

Latest bacteria reading

Latest sample · 3 September 2026 · 4 weeks ago

E. coli: 10cfu/100ml
Intestinal enterococci: 10cfu/100ml

This is the most recent reading. Sampling resumes on 15 May. E. coli and intestinal enterococci are the indicator organisms used in the official classification.

Classification record, 2022 to 2025

Rated Excellent in both 2022 and 2025.

The regulator republishes this every November as a percentile over readings from up to four bathing seasons, so it describes the water's record rather than today. No classification was made for 2020, when the pandemic cut the bathing season short.

Common questions

Can you swim at Col-Huw Beach (Llantwit Major)?: Caution. Sewage discharge 6.0km away 2 days ago. Col-Huw Beach (Llantwit Major) 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 Col-Huw Beach (Llantwit Major)?: Col-Huw Beach (Llantwit Major) is rated Excellent in the regulator's 2025 annual classification, a percentile taken over readings from up to four bathing seasons. The most recent sample, taken 3 September 2026, showed 10 cfu/100ml of E. coli and 10 cfu/100ml of intestinal enterococci. That reading is too old to drive the verdict above.
Has there been sewage at Col-Huw Beach (Llantwit Major) recently?: Yes. 2 storm overflows within ten kilometres of Col-Huw Beach (Llantwit Major): 2 in the last 48 hours.

Where this data comes from

Contains water-company storm overflow data, licensed under OGL v3
View the regulator's full profile

Other beaches nearby

Rated Excellent Southerndown the Vale of Glamorgan Unclassified Fontygary Bay the Vale of Glamorgan Rated Poor Ogmore-By-Sea the Vale of Glamorgan Rated Excellent Cold Knap, Barry the Vale of Glamorgan

Cleanest beaches in the Vale of Glamorgan →

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Gareth Clubb