Torbay boasts some of the UK’s most beautiful and cleanest beaches, recognised for their consistently high bathing water quality.
Throughout the bathing season (May–September), the Environment Agency carries out regular testing at all designated bathing water sites in Torbay. Each beach receives between 10–20 water quality tests per season, and the results from the most recent four years are combined to give the official bathing water classification used across England.
The classifications are:
All of our bathing water sites have achieved "Good" or "Excellent" ratings.
As part of the English Riviera Beach Standards, we publish each beach’s last four years of classifications, explain what the ratings mean, and provide direct access to each beach’s Environment Agency profile, where every individual test result, pollution observation, and seasonal graph can be viewed.
Water Quality & Cleanliness Overview:
Anstey’s Cove has achieved four consecutive years of Excellent water quality, reflecting consistently clean, high‑performing bathing conditions.
Over the past four years, no pollution incidents have been recorded, and there are no active pollution risk forecasts for this location. Routine Environment Agency inspections have found no sewage debris, and only light litter on a small number of visits, none of which reached objectionable levels. No tarry residues have been reported.
These findings show that the beach is consistently clean, well‑managed, and safe for visitors. Ongoing monitoring ensures standards remain high and that any emerging issues can be addressed promptly.
View full test results, graphs, sampling history and site details on the Environment Agency profile
Water Quality & Cleanliness Overview:
Babbacombe has achieved four consecutive years of Excellent water quality, reflecting consistently clean, high‑performing bathing conditions.
Over the past four years, no pollution incidents have been recorded, and there are no active pollution risk forecasts for this location. Routine Environment Agency inspections have found no sewage debris, with light litter observed on a number of visits, including a small proportion (3%) assessed as objectionable. No tarry residues have been reported.
These findings show that the beach is consistently clean, well‑managed, and safe for visitors. Ongoing monitoring ensures standards remain high and that any emerging issues can be addressed promptly.
View full test results, graphs, sampling history and site details on the Environment Agency profile
Water Quality & Cleanliness Overview:
Beacon Cove has achieved four consecutive years of Excellent water quality, reflecting consistently clean, high‑performing bathing conditions.
Over the past four years, no pollution incidents have been recorded, and there are no active pollution risk forecasts for this location. Routine Environment Agency inspections have found no sewage debris, with light litter observed on a number of visits, none of which reached objectionable levels. No tarry residues have been reported.
These findings show that the beach is consistently clean, well‑managed, and safe for visitors. Ongoing monitoring ensures standards remain high and that any emerging issues can be addressed promptly.
View full test results, graphs, sampling history and site details on the Environment Agency profile
Water Quality & Cleanliness Overview:
Breakwater Beach has achieved four consecutive years of Excellent water quality, reflecting consistently clean, high‑performing bathing conditions.
Over the past four years, no pollution incidents have been recorded, and there are no active pollution risk forecasts for this location. Routine Environment Agency inspections have found no sewage debris, with light litter observed on a number of visits, none of which reached objectionable levels. No tarry residues have been reported.
These findings show that the beach is consistently clean, well‑managed, and safe for visitors. Ongoing monitoring ensures standards remain high and that any emerging issues can be addressed promptly.
Water Quality & Cleanliness Overview:
Broadsands has achieved four consecutive years of Excellent water quality, reflecting consistently clean, high‑performing bathing conditions.
Over the past four years, no pollution incidents have been recorded, and there are no active pollution risk forecasts for this location. Routine Environment Agency inspections have occasionally noted small amounts of sewage debris and light litter on some visits, but none of these observations reached objectionable levels. No tarry residues have been reported.
These findings show that the beach is consistently clean, well‑managed, and safe for visitors. Ongoing monitoring ensures standards remain high and that any emerging issues can be addressed promptly.
View full test results, graphs, sampling history and site details on the Environment Agency profile
Water Quality & Cleanliness Overview:
Goodrington has recorded three years of Good water quality, indicating generally good conditions, and one year rated Sufficient, meaning the bathing water met the minimum required standard.
Over the past four years, no pollution incidents have been recorded, and there are no active pollution risk forecasts for this location. Routine Environment Agency inspections have found no sewage debris, with light litter observed on some visits, none of which reached objectionable levels. No tarry residues have been reported.
These findings show that the beach is generally clean, well‑managed, and safe for visitors. Ongoing monitoring ensures standards remain high and that any emerging issues can be addressed promptly.
Water Quality & Cleanliness Overview:
Hollicombe has recorded two years of Excellent water quality and, prior to that, two years rated Good, indicating consistently good conditions with periods of higher performance in recent years.
Over the past four years, no pollution incidents have been recorded, and there are no active pollution risk forecasts for this location. Routine Environment Agency inspections have found no sewage debris, with light litter observed on a number of visits, none of which reached objectionable levels. No tarry residues have been reported.
These findings show that the beach is consistently clean, well‑managed, and safe for visitors. Ongoing monitoring ensures standards remain high and that any emerging issues can be addressed promptly.
Water Quality & Cleanliness Overview:
Maidencombe has achieved four consecutive years of Excellent water quality, reflecting consistently clean, high‑performing bathing conditions.
Over the past four years, no pollution incidents have been recorded, and there are no active pollution risk forecasts for this location. Routine Environment Agency inspections have found no sewage debris, with light litter observed on a number of visits, none of which reached objectionable levels. Small amounts of tarry residue were observed very occasionally, with 2% of visits assessed as objectionable.
These findings show that the beach is consistently clean, well‑managed, and safe for visitors. Ongoing monitoring ensures standards remain high and that any emerging issues can be addressed promptly.
View full test results, graphs, sampling history and site details on the Environment Agency profile
Water Quality & Cleanliness Overview:
Meadfoot has achieved four consecutive years of Excellent water quality, reflecting consistently clean, high‑performing bathing conditions.
Over the past four years, no pollution incidents have been recorded, and there are no active pollution risk forecasts for this location. Routine Environment Agency inspections have found no sewage debris, with light litter observed on a number of visits, none of which reached objectionable levels. No tarry residues have been reported.
These findings show that the beach is consistently clean, well‑managed, and safe for visitors. Ongoing monitoring ensures standards remain high and that any emerging issues can be addressed promptly.
View full test results, graphs, sampling history and site details on the Environment Agency profile
Water Quality & Cleanliness Overview:
Oddicombe has achieved four consecutive years of Excellent water quality, reflecting consistently clean, high‑performing bathing conditions.
Over the past four years, no pollution incidents have been recorded, and there are no active pollution risk forecasts for this location. Routine Environment Agency inspections have found no sewage debris, with light litter observed on a number of visits, none of which reached objectionable levels. No tarry residues have been reported.
These findings show that the beach is consistently clean, well‑managed, and safe for visitors. Ongoing monitoring ensures standards remain high and that any emerging issues can be addressed promptly.
View full test results, graphs, sampling history and site details on the Environment Agency profile
Water Quality & Cleanliness Overview:
Paignton Sands has recorded three years of Good water quality and one year rated Excellent, indicating consistently good bathing conditions with periods of higher performance.
Over the past four years, no pollution incidents have been recorded. This bathing water is subject to daily short‑term pollution forecasting, and 13 pollution risk warnings were issued in 2025. Routine Environment Agency inspections have found no sewage debris, with light litter observed on a number of visits, none of which reached objectionable levels. Small amounts of tarry residue were observed very occasionally, with 1% of visits assessed as objectionable.
These findings show that the beach is generally clean, well‑managed, and safe for visitors. Ongoing monitoring ensures standards remain high and that any emerging issues can be addressed promptly.
View full test results, graphs, sampling history and site details on the Environment Agency profile
Water Quality & Cleanliness Overview:
Preston Sands has achieved four consecutive years of Excellent water quality, reflecting consistently clean, high‑performing bathing conditions.
Over the past four years, no pollution incidents have been recorded. This bathing water is subject to daily short‑term pollution forecasting, and 12 pollution risk warnings were issued in 2025. Routine Environment Agency inspections have found no sewage debris, with light litter observed on some visits, none of which reached objectionable levels. No tarry residues have been reported.
These findings show that the beach is consistently clean, well‑managed, and safe for visitors. Ongoing monitoring ensures standards remain high and that any emerging issues can be addressed promptly.
View full test results, graphs, sampling history and site details on the Environment Agency profile
Water Quality & Cleanliness Overview:
St Mary's Bay has achieved four consecutive years of Excellent water quality, reflecting consistently clean, high‑performing bathing conditions.
Over the past four years, no pollution incidents have been recorded, and there are no active pollution risk forecasts for this location. Routine Environment Agency inspections have found no sewage debris, with light litter observed on a number of visits, none of which reached objectionable levels. No tarry residues have been reported.
These findings show that the beach is consistently clean, well‑managed, and safe for visitors. Ongoing monitoring ensures standards remain high and that any emerging issues can be addressed promptly.
View full test results, graphs, sampling history and site details on the Environment Agency profile
Water Quality & Cleanliness Overview:
Torre Abbey Beach has achieved four consecutive years of Excellent water quality, reflecting consistently clean, high‑performing bathing conditions.
Over the past four years, no pollution incidents have been recorded. This bathing water is subject to daily short‑term pollution forecasting, and 6 pollution risk warnings were issued in 2025. Routine Environment Agency inspections have found no sewage debris, with light litter observed on a number visits, including a very small proportion (1%) assessed as objectionable. No tarry residues have been reported.
These findings show that the beach is consistently clean, well‑managed, and safe for visitors. Ongoing monitoring ensures standards remain high and that any emerging issues can be addressed promptly.
View full test results, graphs, sampling history and site details on the Environment Agency profile
Water Quality & Cleanliness Overview:
Watcombe has achieved two consecutive years of Excellent water quality. The previous two years were not classified, as access to the beach was closed following storm damage, meaning routine bathing water monitoring did not take place.
Over the past four years, no pollution incidents have been recorded, and there are no active pollution risk forecasts for this location. Routine Environment Agency inspections have found no sewage debris, with light litter observed on a number of visits and a very small proportion (2%) assessed as objectionable. No tarry residues have been reported.
These findings show that the beach is consistently clean, well‑managed, and safe for visitors. Ongoing monitoring ensures standards remain high and that any emerging issues can be addressed promptly.
View full test results, graphs, sampling history and site details on the Environment Agency profile
Delivering Harbour, Beach and Marine Services for Torbay Council.
