Can you swim at Littlehampton?

No. Sewage discharged 2.8km away 8 hours ago. Littlehampton 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 Littlehampton?

Littlehampton 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 24 August 2026, showed 10 cfu/100ml of E. coli and 10 cfu/100ml of intestinal enterococci.

Has there been sewage at Littlehampton recently?

Yes. 2 storm overflows within ten kilometres of Littlehampton: 2 in the last 48 hours.

← All bathing waters

England · Arun

Wednesday 2 September

Littlehampton

No. Sewage discharged 2.8km away 8 hours 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 03:26 UK time

Why this verdict

Recent sewage discharge: 2.8km away, 8 hours ago (negative factor)
Annual classification: Good (positive factor)
Pollution risk forecast: Normal (positive factor)
Rainfall (24h): 0mm (positive factor)
Latest E. coli: 10 cfu/100ml (positive factor)
Latest intestinal enterococci: 10 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 8 hours ago

SWS00437 · into RYEBANK RIFE

2.8km from the bathing water
Ended 2 days ago

SWS00231 · into ARUN

5.8km from the bathing water

See every spill happening now across the UK →

Latest bacteria reading

Latest sample · 24 August 2026 · 8 days ago

E. coli: 10cfu/100ml
Intestinal enterococci: 10cfu/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, 2025

The Environment Agency links 9 storm overflows to Littlehampton. In 2025 they discharged 282 times.

Counting every monitored overflow within ten kilometres instead, whether or not it drains here, gives 529 spills across 17 overflows in 2025.

Common questions

Can you swim at Littlehampton?: No. Sewage discharged 2.8km away 8 hours ago. Littlehampton 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 Littlehampton?: Littlehampton 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 24 August 2026, showed 10 cfu/100ml of E. coli and 10 cfu/100ml of intestinal enterococci.
Has there been sewage at Littlehampton recently?: Yes. 2 storm overflows within ten kilometres of Littlehampton: 2 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 Middleton-on-sea Arun Rated Good Felpham Arun Rated Good Goring Beach Worthing Rated Sufficient Bognor Regis East Arun

Cleanest beaches in Arun →

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