England · Westmorland and Furness
Coniston Water, Brown Howe
Caution. Sewage discharge 2.9km away yesterday.
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
- Bathing season
- Closed until 15 May (neutral factor)
- Discharge nearby
- 2.9km yesterday (negative factor)
- Annual classification
- Good (positive factor)
- Pollution risk forecast
- Normal (positive factor)
- Rainfall (24h)
- 4mm (positive factor)
- Latest E. coli
- 91 cfu/100ml (positive factor)
- Latest intestinal enterococci
- 18 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.
Recent sewage discharges nearby
Storm overflows operated by United Utilities within ten kilometres in the last 48 hours.
- Ended yesterdayUUP01954 · into Tributary of Torver Beck2.9km from the bathing water
See United Utilities's own storm-overflow map(opens in a new tab) →
Latest bacteria reading
Latest sample · 16 September 2026 · 2 weeks ago
- E. coli
- 91cfu/100ml
- Intestinal enterococci
- 18cfu/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, 2024 to 2025
Rated Good in both 2024 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.
Storm overflows nearby
The Environment Agency does not link any storm overflow directly to Coniston Water, Brown Howe, so there is no spill record for it. There were 12 monitored overflows within ten kilometres in 2025, whether or not they drain here.
See the worst beaches for sewage in Westmorland and Furness →
Common questions
- Can you swim at Coniston Water, Brown Howe?
- Caution. Sewage discharge 2.9km away yesterday. Coniston Water, Brown Howe 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 Coniston Water, Brown Howe?
- Coniston Water, Brown Howe is rated Good in the regulator's 2025 annual classification, a percentile taken over readings from up to four bathing seasons. The most recent sample, taken 16 September 2026, showed 91 cfu/100ml of E. coli and 18 cfu/100ml of intestinal enterococci.
- Has there been sewage at Coniston Water, Brown Howe recently?
- Yes. 1 storm overflow within ten kilometres of Coniston Water, Brown Howe: 1 in the last 48 hours.
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
Cleanest beaches in Westmorland and Furness →
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Gareth Clubb