Exmouth, August 15: Swimmers have been warned to stay out of the water at Exmouth Beach following a pollution incident detected on Friday morning.

The Environment Agency (EA) confirmed that elevated levels of ammonia were found in a brook that connects to the bathing area. The discovery was made around 11 a.m., prompting precautionary action.

“Precautionary advice against bathing at Exmouth has been given as we have detected elevated readings of ammonia in a brook which connects to this popular bathing water,” the agency said in a statement.

Officials have erected warning signs along the beach, lowered the Blue Flag status, and lifeguards are flying a red flag to discourage swimming.

Investigations Underway

The Environment Agency said it is working with South West Water, which is checking its sewerage network for any potential misconnections that could have caused the contamination.

East Devon District Council also confirmed that officers are monitoring the situation closely.

“We hope we can remove these signs and the red flags as soon as possible,” the council added.

South West Water stated that there have been no storm overflow spills in the area and said it would continue supporting the investigation.

A Recurring Problem

This is not the first time Exmouth Beach has faced such issues. Last summer, the beach was forced to close to swimmers five times due to pollution incidents.

Authorities say swimming will remain restricted until water quality returns to safe levels.

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