New seawater testing facility launched in Worthing amid concerns over beach water quality

Local swimming groups in Worthing are taking a hands-on role in tackling concerns over seawater pollution following the opening of a new community-led testing facility.

The laboratory, based at Splashpoint Leisure Centre, will allow volunteers to monitor water quality along the town’s coastline throughout the year, with particular attention being paid to Worthing Beach House, which currently has a poor water quality rating.

The initiative has been developed through a partnership between Worthing Borough Council, Southern Water and South Downs Leisure, giving community groups access to equipment capable of analysing seawater samples from the town’s designated bathing areas.

The project aims to provide a clearer understanding of pollution levels, identify potential sources of contamination and support efforts to improve bathing water quality.

Worthing currently has three officially designated bathing waters. Goring Beach and Heene Road are both rated "Good" by the Environment Agency, while Worthing Beach House is classified as "Poor".

The latest classifications for the 2026 bathing season are expected before the end of the year.

The new facility will allow testing to continue throughout the year, complementing the Environment Agency's seasonal monitoring programme and helping build a more detailed picture of how water quality changes in different conditions.

Southern Water has funded the specialist testing equipment, while South Downs Leisure has provided laboratory space at Splashpoint.

Three local swimming groups, Muscle Beach Swimming Club, Worthing Bluetits and WorFolk, have already been learning how to use the equipment.

The same technology was used to test water quality in the River Seine ahead of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

Councillor Martin McCabe, Worthing Borough Council's cabinet member for environment, welcomed the launch and praised the work of community volunteers.

He said: “Firstly, I want to thank my predecessor, Councillor Vicki Wells, whose hard work made this possible. We’re grateful to Vicki for securing funding with Southern Water and working with our brilliant volunteers and MPs to get this up and running. This new facility shows what can be achieved when the council, MPs, local partners and our community work together.

“Giving local swimming groups the opportunity to test and monitor seawater in Worthing means we can build a better understanding of water quality along our coastline, while supporting the important work already carried out by the Environment Agency.

“We want Worthing to have the coastal water quality it deserves, and I’m delighted to see the community playing such an active role in helping achieve this.”

The project follows growing calls from swimmers and the council for more frequent testing of Worthing's coastal waters, particularly at Worthing Beach House.

As well as identifying changes in pollution levels, the additional data could help establish whether improvements to local wastewater infrastructure are having a positive impact.

The partnership is also working with academic organisations to explore how information collected through the programme could support wider research into coastal water quality.

Elsa Hegarty, Southern Water's Project Manager for Community and Partnerships, said: “We're delighted to be working with local volunteers and community groups in Worthing through the citizen science programme.

“It's encouraging to see such enthusiasm for the initiative already, and we look forward to working together to better understand the factors affecting local water quality, while supporting our shared ambition to better the condition and classification of several popular bathing water locations.

“We're excited to see the programme develop over the coming months and to continue building strong partnerships with the local community.”

Mark Smith, from Muscle Beach Swimming Club, said the facility represented an important step forward for people who regularly swim in Worthing's waters.

He said: “We are very pleased that the combined efforts of so many organisations has resulted in the launch of a citizen science testing programme to monitor water quality in Worthing. For the three groups involved that swim throughout the year, it’s an important step in helping build a picture of the local bathing water. Huge thanks to everyone involved in making this happen.”

The partners hope the new testing programme will also help identify pollution caused by drainage misconnections, where household wastewater enters systems that can discharge into the sea.

Results from the community-led monitoring will provide additional evidence to support efforts to improve water quality along Worthing's coastline.

Residents can find more information about bathing water quality and monitoring across the town on the Adur and Worthing Councils website.

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