According to the report on the quality of bathing water, samples were collected from 673 locations in Portugal, 512 of which were in the coastal area.

Of these samples, 556 (82.6%) are of “excellent” quality, 73 (10.8%) are of “good” quality and only 9 (1.3%) are of “poor” quality. Twenty samples (3%) were not classified.

The classification is based on two microbiological parameters: the presence of Escherichia coli bacteria and intestinal enterococci.

Of the 673 sites analysed, 633 are being monitored continuously and 25 more have been identified.

Only two sites have experienced changes in the quality of the water for bathing.

In the last 30 years, 1995 had the worst classification for coastal waters. Even so, most of the samples collected showed “excellent” values ​​for bathing.

The data collected includes mainland Portugal and the archipelagos of Madeira and the Azores.