site.btaBulgaria Is Among EU Countries with Best Bathing Water Quality

In 2025, 85% of Europe's bathing waters met the EU's highest quality standard, earning an "excellent" rating. The figures were published on Tuesday in the European Commission's annual Bathing Water Report. Overall, 96% of monitored bathing sites across the EU complied with the minimum water quality standards, while only 1.5% were classified as having "poor" water quality.

According to the report, the overall quality of Europe's bathing waters remained stable in 2025 compared with the previous year. The highest share of bathing waters rated as excellent were recorded in Austria, Bulgaria, Cyprus, and Greece, where at least 95% of sites achieved the top classification. In Bulgaria, the share reached 96.9%.

The assessment and interactive map, prepared by the European Environment Agency (EEA) in cooperation with the European Commission, help swimmers identify the safest bathing locations across Europe. The assessment evaluates water suitability for bathing by monitoring bacteria that can potentially cause serious illnesses.

Europe's high bathing water quality is the result of the long-term impact of EU environmental legislation. Thanks to the EU Bathing Water Directive and other EU water legislation, bathing water quality across Europe has steadily improved over recent decades. This progress has been supported by enhanced monitoring and management practices, investments in urban wastewater treatment plants, and improved wastewater collection systems.