Can you swim at Eastbourne?

Caution. Sewage discharge 3.6km away yesterday. Eastbourne 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 Eastbourne?

Eastbourne is rated Good in the regulator's latest annual classification, a percentile taken over readings from up to four bathing seasons. The most recent sample, taken 27 August 2026, showed 45 cfu/100ml of E. coli and 73 cfu/100ml of intestinal enterococci.

Has there been sewage at Eastbourne recently?

Yes. 1 storm overflow within ten kilometres of Eastbourne: 1 in the last 48 hours.

← All bathing waters

England · Eastbourne

Wednesday 2 September

Eastbourne

Caution. Sewage discharge 3.6km 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 03:25 UK time

Why this verdict

Discharge nearby: 3.6km yesterday (negative factor)
Pollution risk forecast: Increased (negative factor)
Annual classification: Good (positive factor)
Latest E. coli: 45 cfu/100ml (positive factor)
Latest intestinal enterococci: 73 cfu/100ml (positive factor)

Recent sewage discharges nearby

Storm overflows operated by Southern Water Services Limited within ten kilometres in the last 48 hours.

Ended yesterday

SWS90091 · into ENGLISH CHANNEL

3.6km from the bathing water

See every spill happening now across the UK →

Latest bacteria reading

Latest sample · 27 August 2026 · 5 days ago

E. coli: 45cfu/100ml
Intestinal enterococci: 73cfu/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, 2023 to 2025

The Environment Agency links 3 storm overflows to Eastbourne. In 2025 they discharged 5 times.

Counted spills a year at the overflows feeding this bathing water.

2023

2024

2025

Down 29% since 2023, from 7 spills to 5.

Counting every monitored overflow within ten kilometres instead, whether or not it drains here, gives 247 spills across 17 overflows in 2025.

Common questions

Can you swim at Eastbourne?: Caution. Sewage discharge 3.6km away yesterday. Eastbourne 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 Eastbourne?: Eastbourne is rated Good in the regulator's latest annual classification, a percentile taken over readings from up to four bathing seasons. The most recent sample, taken 27 August 2026, showed 45 cfu/100ml of E. coli and 73 cfu/100ml of intestinal enterococci.
Has there been sewage at Eastbourne recently?: Yes. 1 storm overflow within ten kilometres of Eastbourne: 1 in the last 48 hours.

Where this data comes from

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

Rated Excellent Birling Gap Wealden Rated Good Pevensey Bay Wealden Rated Excellent Norman's Bay Rother Rated Excellent Seaford Lewes

Cleanest beaches in England →

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Gareth Clubb