Is it safe to swim in the sea?

Lucy Siegle writing in The Guardian today poses that question - see here. The Ruscombe Brook Action Group was formed because of sewage incidents, so it is sad to see that authorities are still not getting their act together....

....."this year water bathing quality classified as excellent has fallen to its lowest level since 2000....And, in two years, when EU standards come in which are twice as strict in terms of tolerance of microbial loads in water samples, 50 British beaches might be condemned."