What health control applies to bathing water?

Health control of bathing water is essential to protect the health and safety of people who use these areas. Water quality control ensures that the physico-chemical and microbiological parameters of the water comply with established safety standards.

These parameters are numerous and include elements such as pH, turbidity, dissolved oxygen content, chemical levels, cyanobacteria, etc. Water control also detects organic contaminants, heavy metals, radioactivity, etc. which can pose risks to the environment and living organisms.

Many jurisdictions have established standards and regulations for water quality in public bathing areas.

EU Directive 2006/7/EC sets out provisions regarding the monitoring and classification of bathing water quality, quality management and public communication.

Knowing the quality of seawater and freshwater bathing water helps to monitor any impacts related to various discharges and to prevent any risk to bathers’ health.

Health control covers all bathing sites declared by the managers of the bathing area (municipality, private individual, etc.) and listed by the ARS (sites where bathing is usually practised by a significant number of bathers).

The European Environment Agency has just published the results of the 2022 EU control plan.
Below are the results for French bathing sites:

• 75.9% of sites are considered to be of excellent quality
• 14.2% of good quality
• 3.9% of sufficient quality

Sampling is carried out during the bathing season at the initiative of the ARS, generally from 15 June to 15 September.

Bathing water quality is assessed using bacteriological indicators, testing for Escherichia coli and intestinal enterococci.

According to instruction No. DGS/EA4/2022/168 of 17 June 2022, during the season, the instantaneous microbiological quality of a seawater sample is classified as follows:

• Intestinal enterococci (CFU/100mL): GOOD: ≤ 100 / MODERATE: > 100 and ≤ 370 / POOR: > 370
• E. Coli (CFU/100mL): GOOD: ≤ 100 / MODERATE: > 100 and ≤ 1,000 / POOR: > 1,000

According to instruction No. DGS/EA4/2022/168 of 17 June 2022, during the season, the instantaneous microbiological quality of a freshwater sample is classified as follows:

• Intestinal enterococci (CFU/100mL): GOOD: ≤ 100 / MODERATE: > 100 and ≤ 660 / POOR: > 660
• E. Coli (CFU/100mL): GOOD: ≤ 100 / MODERATE: > 100 and ≤ 1,800 / POOR: > 1,800

In addition to microbiological monitoring, when the profile of a bathing water requires it, cyanobacteria monitoring should also be carried out. Cyanobacteria are microalgae that can proliferate and produce toxins that pose a danger to bathers.

According to the ANSES report on the assessment of risks related to cyanobacteria and their toxins in freshwater, for recreational waters:

• If count < 20,000 cells/mL ±20%: Daily active monitoring, at least weekly counts, and normal activity maintained on site.
• If count is between 20,000 and 100,000 cells/mL ±20%: Daily active monitoring, weekly counts and public information.
• If count > 100,000 cells/mL ±10%: if quantification expressed in microcystin LR equivalents is <25μg/l ±5% MCLR eq., bathing restriction and public information; and if quantification expressed in microcystin LR equivalents is > 25μg/l ±5% MC-LR eq., bathing ban and restriction of all water sports activities, and public information.

According to DGS instruction No. DGS/EA4/EA3/2021/76 for bathing water:
If the threshold of 10 μg/L chlorophyll a is exceeded, the cyanobacteria present in the water will be identified.

• If the sum of cyanobacteria biovolumes ≤ 1 mm3/L: No alert.
• If the sum of cyanobacteria biovolumes > 1 mm3/L and no toxin thresholds exceeded: Level 1 Alert with toxin testing and normal activity maintained on site. Public information.
• If the sum of cyanobacteria biovolumes > 1 mm3/L AND one of the following toxin thresholds is exceeded: Microcystin > 0.3 µg/L, Saxitoxin > 30 µg/L, Cylindrospermopsin > 42 µg/L, Anatoxin > LOD -> Level 2 Alert: bathing prohibited, public information, restriction of water sports activities, recommendation not to consume fish.

Phytocontrol offers analysis of E. coli, intestinal enterococci, cyanobacteria, chlorophyll a and cyanotoxins to ensure the quality of your bathing water.

Please note that Phytocontrol holds national approval from the Ministry of Health and the Environment for carrying out sampling and analysis for water health control. You will find details of our accreditations in our COFRAC technical annex No. 1-6066.

Need technical, regulatory or pricing information? Our customer service is available from 8am to 7pm, Monday to Friday, on +33 800 900 775 or service-clients@phytocontrol.com.