There are more than 50 British beaches that could be declared unsafe for swimming under new safety rules for the European Union.
CNN reported that the Environment Angency in the UK is planning n introducing stricter guidelines for water pollution in 2015.
According to The Telegraph 55 beaches in England do not meet the standards which go from "excellent," "good" "sufficient" and "poor."
"For those classed as poor, beach controllers will be required to display a sign advising visitors not to swim there," said an Environment Agency spokesperson to CNN.
Popular resort areas such as Cornwall, Dorset and Hampshire do not currently meet the new standards, reports The Telegraph.
"Among those likely to be ruled too polluted for bathing are popular resorts such as East Looe and Penzance in Cornwall, Lyme Regis in Dorset, Blackpool in Lancashire, and Southsea in Hampshire," said The Telegraph.
Malcolm Bell, the head of VisitCornwall, said to The Telegraph, "We are going to face a challenge to explain to people that things have not got worse - it is just that the hurdle has got higher. If a beach is on the new borderline, it doesn't mean it will be borderline all the time.
Sometimes it will be beautiful and other times there will be problems, so we want to be able to put up signs on those incidents but be able to take them down when it is more than safe."
CNN reported that the new standards will set stricter parameters with the intention of raising public health awareness and beach health hazard awareness. Signs will now be posted at beaches, warning people about sewage nearby.
Some issues include contamination due to run off from livestock on farms, disconnected drains and sewer overflow, reported Public Health England.
"Livestock like animals or even people and their pets on the beach will cause contamination," said the Environment Agency spokesperson to CNN. "But it's not all doom and gloom, many of our bathing waters are good or excellent."
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