Water quality to be tested at Weymouth's Castle Cove beach
The area's Friends group has got a grant to pay for the work
The sea water at a Weymouth beach will be tested more regularly this year, in what's being called a 'citizen science' project.
The Friends of Castle Cove Beach are to carry out checks in January, February, March and April 2025.
That'll be in addition to Environment Agency testing that's normally done between May and September.
The group's got an £800 grant from the Sea Changers marine conservation charity to cover the costs of the testing.
Val Graves from the Friends of Castle Cove said:
“There has been a lot of public interest in sea water quality, but the Environment Agency tests our waters only between May and September. This is odd, as people swim in the sea all year round. We’re starting a citizen science project to test sea water quality in the winter months.
“Castle Cove is an incredibly popular beach and we want to ensure that the sea water does not constitute a danger to public health.”
It's estimated that around 80,000 people use Castle Cove each year, including paddlers, swimmers, paddleboarders, kayakers and sailors.