Written question asked by Carla Denyer (Green Party) on Wednesday, 2 September 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Friday, 4 September 2026. It was answered by Emma Hardy (Labour) on Thursday, 10 September 2026 on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Water: Standards

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will set out a timeline for expanding the definition of a bather in the Bathing Water Regulations to include all recreational water users.

Answer: Work is continuing to develop the evidence needed to inform policy on the protection of recreational water users, including working with the Public Health Water Taskforce, which is advising Government on public health risks associated with drinking and recreational water quality and opportunities for mitigation. The environmental, public health and wider implications of including a broader range of water users, including the practical implications and potential scale of any changes, and the most appropriate policy and regulatory framework, will need to be considered to ensure future decisions are informed by robust evidence.

Secondary information