The clear waters of Ayia Napa in Cyprus. Photo: Amit Cotler The quality of bathing water across Europe continues to be among the highest in the world, according to the annual bathing water report published yesterday (June 16, 2026) by the European Commission and the European Environment Agency (EEA).
According to data collected during the last bathing season, 85% of bathing sites inspected met the EU's strictest standard and were rated "excellent", while 96% of all sites met at least the minimum quality requirements. Only 1.5% of sites were rated "poor".
The report is based on monitoring of more than 22,200 bathing sites across Europe, including all EU countries, Albania, and Switzerland. The findings indicate stability in water quality compared to the previous year.
First place was taken by Cyprus with 100% clear seawater (Mediterranean Sea). Immediately following was Greece with 97.1% clear water (Mediterranean Sea), third place was Bulgaria with 96.9% (Black Sea), fourth place was Austria with 96.5% (lakes) and fifth place was Luxembourg with 94.1% (lakes). The summary of all the data shows that the quality of sea water in the Mediterranean Sea was found to be better than in lakes throughout Europe.
The water quality assessment focuses on monitoring bacteria that can cause disease, and aims to provide the public with reliable information on bathing safety. In parallel with the publication of the report, the European Union map was also updated, allowing the public to check the water quality at each bathing site individually.
The European Union notes that the ongoing improvement in water quality is the result of decades of investment in wastewater treatment, development of drainage infrastructure, and implementation of strict environmental legislation.
However, authorities stress that continued effort is still needed to tackle pollution, biodiversity loss and the impacts of climate change on Europe's water resources.