Can you swim at Plymouth Firestone Bay?

Yes. Excellent water quality and no sewage in the last 48 hours. Plymouth Firestone 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 Plymouth Firestone Bay?

Plymouth Firestone Bay 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 10 cfu/100ml of E. coli and 10 cfu/100ml of intestinal enterococci.

Has there been sewage at Plymouth Firestone Bay recently?

No. No storm overflow within ten kilometres of Plymouth Firestone Bay has discharged in the last 48 hours.

← All bathing waters

England · City of Plymouth

Wednesday 2 September

Plymouth Firestone Bay

Yes. Excellent water quality and no sewage in the last 48 hours.

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 03:27 UK time

Why this verdict

Annual classification: Excellent (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)

Latest bacteria reading

Latest sample · 25 August 2026 · 7 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, 2024 to 2025

The Environment Agency links 4 storm overflows to Plymouth Firestone Bay. In 2025 they discharged 63 times.

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

2024

2025

Up 13% since 2024, from 56 spills to 63.

Counting every monitored overflow within ten kilometres instead, whether or not it drains here, gives 4,165 spills across 160 overflows in 2025.

Common questions

Can you swim at Plymouth Firestone Bay?: Yes. Excellent water quality and no sewage in the last 48 hours. Plymouth Firestone 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 Plymouth Firestone Bay?: Plymouth Firestone Bay 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 10 cfu/100ml of E. coli and 10 cfu/100ml of intestinal enterococci.
Has there been sewage at Plymouth Firestone Bay recently?: No. No storm overflow within ten kilometres of Plymouth Firestone Bay has discharged in the last 48 hours.

Where this data comes from

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 Plymouth Hoe West City of Plymouth Rated Excellent Plymouth Hoe East City of Plymouth Rated Good Kingsand Cornwall Rated Excellent Bovisand South Hams

Cleanest beaches in England →

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