England · Isle of Wight
Cowes
Caution. Latest intestinal enterococci was elevated at 210 cfu/100ml.
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
- Latest intestinal enterococci
- 210 cfu/100ml (negative factor)
- Annual classification
- Excellent (positive factor)
- Pollution risk forecast
- Normal (positive factor)
- Rainfall (24h)
- 0mm (positive factor)
- Latest E. coli
- 160 cfu/100ml (positive factor)
Latest bacteria reading
Latest sample · 25 August 2026 · 7 days ago
- E. coli
- 160cfu/100ml
- Intestinal enterococci
- 210cfu/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 16 storm overflows to Cowes. In 2025 they discharged 487 times.
Down 18% since 2021, from 597 spills to 487.
Counting every monitored overflow within ten kilometres instead, whether or not it drains here, gives 1,108 spills across 49 overflows in 2025.
Common questions
- Can you swim at Cowes?
- Caution. Latest intestinal enterococci was elevated at 210 cfu/100ml. Cowes 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 Cowes?
- Cowes is rated Excellent 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 160 cfu/100ml of E. coli and 210 cfu/100ml of intestinal enterococci.
- Has there been sewage at Cowes recently?
- No. No storm overflow within ten kilometres of Cowes has discharged in the last 48 hours.
Where this data comes from
- Contains Environment Agency information © Environment Agency and database right
- 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 Isle of Wight →
Built by one person
This site is free and always will be. There are no adverts and nothing to sign up for. I pay for the domain and the hosting, so if today's answer was useful you can buy me a coffee(opens in a new tab).
Gareth Clubb