Wales · Bridgend
Rest Bay, Porthcawl
Caution. Sewage discharge 2.2km away 21 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 UK time
Why this verdict
- Bathing season
- Closed until 15 May (neutral factor)
- Discharge nearby
- 2.2km 21 hours ago (negative factor)
- Annual classification
- Excellent (positive factor)
- Latest E. coli
- 10 cfu/100ml (positive factor)
- Latest intestinal enterococci
- 10 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
18.3°C Mild
Sea surface, modelled by Open-Meteo.
Tide
Tide is rising
- High water Today
- High water Today
- Low water Tomorrow
- High water 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 21 hours agoMack Worth Road Overflow · into Bristol Channel Outer North2.2km from the bathing water
- Ended 2 days agoMarlas Storm Overflow · into River Kenfig4.4km from the bathing water
- Ended 21 hours agoLaleston Storm Overflow · into Unnamed Watercourse6.9km from the bathing water
- Ended 21 hours agoBedford Road Storm Overflow · into Nant Iorwerth Goch7.3km from the bathing water
- Ended 15 hours agoPenybont WwTW Storm Overflow · into Ogmore Estuary7.5km from the bathing water
- Ended 21 hours agoWest Cricklewood Close Bridgend Overflow · into River Ogmore9.2km from the bathing water
See Welsh Water's own storm-overflow map(opens in a new tab) →
Latest bacteria reading
Latest sample · 10 September 2026 · 3 weeks ago
- E. coli
- 10cfu/100ml
- Intestinal enterococci
- 10cfu/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.
Classification record, 2015 to 2025
Rated Excellent in both 2015 and 2025.
The regulator republishes this every November as a percentile over readings from up to four bathing seasons, so it describes the water's record rather than today. No classification was made for 2020, when the pandemic cut the bathing season short.
Common questions
- Can you swim at Rest Bay, Porthcawl?
- Caution. Sewage discharge 2.2km away 21 hours ago. Rest Bay, Porthcawl 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 Rest Bay, Porthcawl?
- Rest Bay, Porthcawl is rated Excellent in the regulator's 2025 annual classification, a percentile taken over readings from up to four bathing seasons. The most recent sample, taken 10 September 2026, showed 10 cfu/100ml of E. coli and 10 cfu/100ml of intestinal enterococci.
- Has there been sewage at Rest Bay, Porthcawl recently?
- Yes. 6 storm overflows within ten kilometres of Rest Bay, Porthcawl: 6 in the last 48 hours.
Where this data comes from
- Contains Natural Resources Wales information © NRW and database right
- Contains water-company storm overflow data, licensed under OGL v3
- View the regulator's full profile
Other beaches nearby
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Gareth Clubb