Can you swim at Wallasey?

Caution. Sewage discharge 4.8km away 2 days ago. Wallasey 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 Wallasey?

Wallasey 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 18 August 2026, showed 120 cfu/100ml of E. coli and 140 cfu/100ml of intestinal enterococci.

Has there been sewage at Wallasey recently?

Yes. 3 storm overflows within ten kilometres of Wallasey: 3 in the last 48 hours.

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England · Wirral

Wednesday 2 September

Wallasey

Caution. Sewage discharge 4.8km away 2 days 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 03:25 UK time

Why this verdict

Discharge nearby: 4.8km 2 days ago (negative factor)
Annual classification: Good (positive factor)
Pollution risk forecast: Normal (positive factor)
Rainfall (24h): 0mm (positive factor)
Latest E. coli: 120 cfu/100ml (positive factor)
Latest intestinal enterococci: 140 cfu/100ml (positive factor)

Recent sewage discharges nearby

Storm overflows operated by United Utilities Water Limited within ten kilometres in the last 48 hours.

Ended 2 days ago

UUP01161 · into Mersey Estuary

4.8km from the bathing water
Ended 2 days ago

UUP02010 · into River Mersey Estuary

5.0km from the bathing water
Ended 2 days ago

UUP01408 · into Liverpool Bay

7.2km from the bathing water

See every spill happening now across the UK →

Latest bacteria reading

Latest sample · 18 August 2026 · 2 weeks ago

E. coli: 120cfu/100ml
Intestinal enterococci: 140cfu/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, 2021 to 2025

The Environment Agency links 53 storm overflows to Wallasey. In 2025 they discharged 1,611 times.

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

417

2021

267

2022

840

2023

2,184

2024

1,611

2025

Up 286% since 2021, from 417 spills to 1,611.

Counting every monitored overflow within ten kilometres instead, whether or not it drains here, gives 2,009 spills across 78 overflows in 2025.

Common questions

Can you swim at Wallasey?: Caution. Sewage discharge 4.8km away 2 days ago. Wallasey 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 Wallasey?: Wallasey 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 18 August 2026, showed 120 cfu/100ml of E. coli and 140 cfu/100ml of intestinal enterococci.
Has there been sewage at Wallasey recently?: Yes. 3 storm overflows within ten kilometres of Wallasey: 3 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

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Gareth Clubb