Number of bathing prohibitions at designated bathing waters due to climate change

As of 1 January 2026, there are 59 official bathing water sites in the sea and inland waters in Latvia where water quality monitoring is carried out once a month during the official bathing season from May 15 to September 15. In laboratory water samples, two microbiological indicators are determined – Escherichia coli (E. coli) and intestinal enterococci, along with their concentration in the water. In addition, the bathing site is evaluated visually, paying special attention to aspects such as atypical water colour, surfactants, floating debris and other waste, petroleum products, and the mass proliferation of phytoplankton algae (cyanobacteria or green algae) – algal bloom. After receiving the laboratory test results, a specialist evaluates the bathing water quality indicators and issues a conclusion on the water quality – swimming permitted, swimming not recommended, or swimming prohibited. The published information includes an operational assessment of bathing water quality after each sampling event, which is published in a summarized version once a year.

The Health Inspectorate carries out the monitoring of official bathing water quality in accordance with regulatory requirements, informs the public about bathing water monitoring results, and performs supervision and control of bathing water sites regarding their development and maintenance.

Official bathing water sites in Latvia*.

^* laid down in Cabinet Regulation No. 692 Procedures for Establishing and Maintaining a Bathing Water Site and Managing its Water Quality.

Sea and inland bathing water sites*.

^* laid down in Cabinet Regulation No. 692 Procedures for Establishing and Maintaining a Bathing Water Site and Managing its Water Quality.

• Directive 2006/7/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning the management of bathing water quality and repealing Directive 76/160/EEC.
• Cabinet Regulation No. 692 Procedures for Establishing and Maintaining a Bathing Water Site and Managing its Water Quality of 28 November 2017.

Statistics database

N/A

Comparable data are available from 2010.

N/A

The Health Inspectorate carries out the monitoring of official bathing water quality in accordance with regulatory requirements, informs the public about bathing water monitoring results, and performs supervision and control of bathing water sites regarding their development and maintenance.

Water samples are taken monthly under the state monitoring programme. The first sample is taken shortly before the start of the bathing season. 

If monitoring reveals contamination in the bathing water presenting potential hazards to bathers' health, inspection specialists shall issue a bathing restriction (‘swimming not recommended’ or ‘swimming prohibited’) and re-sampling is conducted to track water quality variations.

Water samples are delivered to the laboratory for microbiological analysis. During water sample collection, inspection specialists concurrently carry out a visual inspection of the bathing water site. The visual assessment conducted on-site at the bathing water site provides additional information regarding potential chemical pollution, which typically results from a local or larger-scale environmental incident. The assessment pays special attention to the following aspects: atypical water colour or odor, surfactants (persistent foam), floating and other waste in the water, and petroleum products. An assessment is also made as to whether there is an excessive proliferation of cyanobacteria (so-called algal ‘blooms’).

In accordance with the requirements of Directive 2006/7/EC, laboratory water samples are tested only for microbiological pollution indicators—the count of Escherichia coli (E. coli, also referred to as fecal coliform bacteria) and intestinal enterococci bacteria, which indicate potential fecal contamination of the water. 

N/A