Can you swim at Fontygary Bay?

Caution. Sewage discharge 5.3km away yesterday. Fontygary Bay 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 Fontygary Bay?

We hold no annual classification for Fontygary Bay. The most recent sample, taken 14 September 2026, showed 73 cfu/100ml of E. coli and 36 cfu/100ml of intestinal enterococci.

Has there been sewage at Fontygary Bay recently?

Yes. 5 storm overflows within ten kilometres of Fontygary Bay: 5 in the last 48 hours.

← All bathing waters

Wales · the Vale of Glamorgan

Friday 2 October

Fontygary Bay

Caution. Sewage discharge 5.3km 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 06:08 UK time

Why this verdict

Bathing season: Closed until 15 May (neutral factor)
Discharge nearby: 5.3km yesterday (negative factor)
Annual classification: Unknown (neutral factor)
Latest E. coli: 73 cfu/100ml (positive factor)
Latest intestinal enterococci: 36 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 10:30 Today
Low water about 16:50 Today
High water about 23:00 Today
Low water about 05:20 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 yesterday

Cold Knap Storm Overflow · into Bristol Channel

5.3km from the bathing water
Ended yesterday

Barry Town Long Sea Storm Overflow · into Severn Estuary

5.9km from the bathing water
Ended yesterday

Bonvilston East WwTW Overflow · into Nant Llancarfan

8.1km from the bathing water
Ended 3 hours ago

Barry Docks Pumped Storm Overflow · into Barry No, 2 Dock

8.3km from the bathing water
Ended 8 hours ago

Cowbridge Llanbethian WwTW Storm Overflow · into River Thaw

9.5km 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 · 14 September 2026 · 2 weeks ago

E. coli: 73cfu/100ml
Intestinal enterococci: 36cfu/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.

Common questions

Can you swim at Fontygary Bay?: Caution. Sewage discharge 5.3km away yesterday. Fontygary Bay 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 Fontygary Bay?: We hold no annual classification for Fontygary Bay. The most recent sample, taken 14 September 2026, showed 73 cfu/100ml of E. coli and 36 cfu/100ml of intestinal enterococci.
Has there been sewage at Fontygary Bay recently?: Yes. 5 storm overflows within ten kilometres of Fontygary Bay: 5 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 Cold Knap, Barry the Vale of Glamorgan Rated Poor Watch House Bay the Vale of Glamorgan Rated Good Whitmore Bay, Barry Island the Vale of Glamorgan Rated Good Jackson's Bay, Barry Island the Vale of Glamorgan

Cleanest beaches in the Vale of Glamorgan →

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Gareth Clubb