Chichester Harbour Conservancy, in conjunction with Chichester District Council monitor the quality of the water within the Chichester Harbour. Samples from 12 locations in the harbour are collected and tested twice a month during the summer months and monthly throughout the winter.
Although there are no regulatory standards for this area of water, the EU Bathing Water Standards are used as a guide. Chichester Harbour is not a designated bathing water site, however the test results can be viewed as an indicator of potential pollution levels at the time of testing.
Historical results are available on the Chichester District Council website.
Current water sampling results
Chichester Harbour Conservancy, in conjunction with Chichester District Council regularly monitors levels of e-coli and intestinal enterococci at 12 sites across the harbour.
The levels are compared with EU Bathing Water Standards.
| Sample Date: 16th February 2026 | ||||
| Sample Site | Time | E.Coli (/100ml) | Enterococci (/100ml) | Compliant with minimum requirements of the EU BWD? (E.Coli ≤500cfu and Intestinal Enterococci ≤185cfu) |
| Nutbourne C | 13:07 | 90 | <10 | Yes |
| Cobnor Dinghy Park Slipway | 11:05 | <10 | 20 | Yes |
| Bosham Quay Quayside | 11:09 | 10 | <10 | Yes |
| Dell Quay Quayside | 10:28 | 140 | 730 | No |
| Northney Beacon | 11:58 | 3400 | 90 | No |
| Furzefield Creek Ent | 10:45 | 810 | 10 | No |
| North of Dell Quay Mid-channel, near WWTW discharge point | 10:26 | 640 | 880 | No |
| CM Slipway | 10:32 | 40 | 180 | Yes |
| Deep End Mid-channel near Cobnor Point | 11:02 | 100 | <10 | Yes |
| Emsworth Jetty | 12:04 | 2700 | 110 | No |
| East Head Mid-channel | 12:56 | 450 | 20 | Yes |
| CM Beacon | 10:37 | 50 | 30 | Yes |
| Time of nearest High Tide | Wind Speed | Wind Direction | Weather | % Cloud Cover |
| 10:54 | F6 | W/NW | Cloudy | 90% |
What is Chichester Harbour Conservancy doing?
Chichester Harbour Conservancy, as a small conservation body, takes the following approach to water quality.
- Data matters. Chichester Harbour Conservancy agrees there is a long-term problem with water quality. Work is underway through the CHaPRoN Partnership to better understand the pathways to pollution so sustainable measures can be implemented that will make a real difference to water quality.
- Sampling. Chichester Harbour Conservancy regularly samples the water quality and publishes the results.
- Holding others to account. As the pathways to pollution is better understood, it is important that the polluters accept the impacts they have having on the natural environment and then develop plans to reduce and eventually stop that pollution altogether. Chichester Harbour Conservancy is working with the regulators to prioritise the long-term health of the harbour.
- Planning. Chichester Harbour Conservancy responds to around 300 planning applications every year. New dwellings do not just impact the landscape and increase recreational disturbance – they also put added pressure on the wastewater treatment works that are already overwhelmed during the periods of sustained rainfall. Chichester Harbour Conservancy will voice concerns about the capacity of the wastewater treatment works through the planning system.
Chichester Harbour Conservancy is not a campaigning body since it works all year round to improve water quality. Other lobbying groups may decide to raise awareness about water quality from time-to-time. This is their prerogative and whilst Chichester Harbour Conservancy may not overtly engage with these campaigns, anything that will ultimately help improve the state of nature is encouraged.