A SOUTH Hams beach is at risk of failing to meet EU water quality standards this year, despite the English coast having the cleanest seas since records began.

The Environmental Agency has warned that the revised EU Bathing Water Directive, which comes into force this bathing season, will be 'twice as tough to pass' in a bid to drive up standards across Europe.

Mothecombe is one of 25 bathing spots in England that the Environment Agency has predicted to be at risk of failing the new standards.

Failure to meet standards will mean warning signs must be erected, potentially harming tourism, and action must be taken to improve the water quality.

More than 99 per cent of English beaches passed last year's tests, but this is forecast to drop by six per cent, with the water of 25 beaches possibly classed as 'poor'.

The measurements upon which ratings are based assess the levels of certain bacteria, including E. coli and intestinal enterococci, per 100ml of water.

Under the new EU regulations, in order to attain the 'excellent' rating, the concentration level of bacteria can be only half of what used to be allowed.

According to the Envir-onment Agency, the two most significant sources of pollution that reduce water quality are sewage from water company infrastructure and pollution from agriculture.

This year South West Water completed a £7m scheme to deliver cleaner seas for Mothecombe in time for the start of the official bathing water season.

The water company has made improvements to the sewerage networks in Ivybridge, Ermington, Modbury and Holbeton.

This includes increasing the storm storage capacity in the network to reduce the number of storm discharges to the River Erme during extremely wet weather.

For more on this story, see this week's Ivybridge & South Brent Gazette