Certification of the bathing water quality management system

New legislative and regulatory provisions, transposing European Directive 2006/7/EC, outline changes to the monitoring procedures for bathing water quality and the method used to classify their quality.

The quality of bathing waters (freshwater and coastal waters) has improved significantly, as evidenced by the results of health monitoring checks conducted by the Departmental Directorates of Health and Social Affairs (DDASS); compliance of bathing waters with European regulations rose from 60% in the 1980s to over 95% in 2008.

These figures are the result of major efforts made by local authorities with the support of water agencies, particularly regarding public sanitation.
Local authorities and private managers of bathing waters will therefore need to continue their efforts.

The European Commission set a new objective of reaching at least a "sufficient" quality level by 2015 for all bathing waters, both coastal and inland.
To achieve this, it requires that "profiles" be established by early 2011 at the latest, enabling bathing water managers to identify the causes of pollution likely to impact water quality and to better target measures aimed at reducing or eliminating these pollution sources.

For several years, the National Association of Coastal Elected Officials (ANEL) and the National Association of Mayors of Classified Resorts and Tourist Communes (ANMSCCT), with the support of the Ministry of Ecology (MEEDDAT) and the Ministry of Health (MSS), in collaboration with the Ministries of Tourism and the Interior, have been working together to promote the improvement of bathing water quality and information for bathers.
In 2008, a steering committee was formed to develop a system certification framework.