There are calls to improve water quality in Lyme Regis after a newly-designated bathing beach was classified as 'poor'.
It comes after the Environment Agency published bathing beach classifications.
Front Beach was 'good' but water quality campaigners have said that there is still 'room for improvement'.
Church Cliff Beach water quality was 'poor'. One of the major concerns for water quality there is the amount of sewage dumped into the River Lim by South West Water.
The location was previously a monitored bathing water until 2016 but was de-designated by request of the town council due to low usage. This year Church Cliff Beach was newly designated after a two-year long campaign.
The classifications of water quality for the beaches come from the monitoring for bacteria linked to sewage pollution from May to September by the Environment Agency.
READ: River Lim Action Group raises concerns to South West Water
Previous testing has shown the majority of the bacteria may have a human origin at the mouth of the River Lim.
Campaigners with the River Lim Action Group and swimmers with the Lyme Regis Blue Tits want more to be done to get the quality of water to a much higher standard.
Vicki Elcoate, of the River Lim Action group, said: “There’s clearly room for improvement as our aim is for excellent water quality at both beaches.
"People swim all year round in their hundreds and we need reliable, safe water for them and for the environment."
READ: Sewage discharged into sea at Church Cliff Beach, Lyme Regis
“Sewage discharges into the river need to be reduced urgently. Even after Storm Bert passed through and it stopped raining, the sewer overflow at the Uplyme Sewage Treatment Works discharged for over 24 hours.
"For the certainty and safety of swimmers we support South West Water’s aim of cutting discharges by 90 per cent by 2027.
"We need an investment programme fit for purpose in reducing permitted discharges and fixing our creaking sewage system in the town."
The action group welcomed the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs' announcement earlier this month that it had launched a consultation in an attempt to modernise bathing waters for the first time since 2013 as a 'step in the right direction'.
READ: River Lim Action respond to DEFRA bathing waters plans
The reforms are set to include removing fixed season May to September dates from bathing water regulations - which campaigners welcomed as there is concern bathing spots are becoming polluted at other times of the year.
READ: River Lim: Return of wildlife welcomed but 'long way to go'
The Environment Agency said that while sample results remain ‘poor’ at Church Cliff, they are better than previously with 'work to find misconnections from South West Water expected to drive improvement'.
Beverley Glock, of Lyme Regis Blue Tits swimming group, said: “We need South West Water to work with us to upgrade the water quality to excellent at both our bathing beaches.
"We swim every day, year round, so we need the water to be tested all year. Our campaign for better water quality and better information goes on".
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