Germany · state · official name Nordrhein-Westfalen
Bathing water quality in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
North Rhine-Westphalia has 117 official bathing waters in the EEA dataset for the 2025 season (114 lake and 3 river). 88% were classified Excellent — 2.9 points below the 90.9% across Germany — and 0 were Poor. By administrative district, the Excellent share is highest in Detmold (100% of 11) and lowest in Düsseldorf (84.6% of 26). 85 sites have been Excellent in every season from 2015 to 2025.
Badegewässerqualität in Nordrhein-Westfalen
Von 117 offiziellen EU-Badestellen in Nordrhein-Westfalen waren 2025 88 % „ausgezeichnet“; Zahl der als „mangelhaft“ eingestuften Badestellen: 0.
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117
official bathing waters
88%
Excellent in 2025
0
Poor in 2025
Not live: these are annual official classifications. Check the competent authority for today’s notices before swimming.
Map of official bathing waters in North Rhine-Westphalia
Excellent 103Good 8Sufficient 2Poor 0Not classified 4
North Rhine-Westphalia by administrative district
Sites are placed in the Eurostat NUTS 2 administrative districts that contain their reported coordinates.
| Administrative district | Sites | Excellent | Good | Sufficient | Poor | Not classified |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Köln | 42 | 36 (85.7%) | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Arnsberg | 26 | 23 (88.5%) | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| Düsseldorf | 26 | 22 (84.6%) | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Münster | 12 | 11 (91.7%) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Detmold | 11 | 11 (100%) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Sea, lakes and rivers in North Rhine-Westphalia
| Water type | Sites | Excellent | Good | Sufficient | Poor | Not classified |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake | 114 | 103 (90.4%) | 6 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| River | 3 | 0 (0%) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Coastal waters are assessed against stricter bacterial limits than lakes and rivers but are diluted far more; see how the classes are calculated.
Most consistent Excellent sites
85 sites were Excellent in all eleven seasons. Ordered by the length of the unbroken Excellent run ending in 2025; the first 24 are shown and every site is in the full list below.
- AGGERTALSPERRE FREIBAD BRUCH 11 seasons · Köln
- AGGERTALSPERRE LANTENBACH CAMPINGPLATZ 11 seasons · Köln
- ALBERSSEE SUEDSTRAND 11 seasons · Arnsberg
- AUESEE RETTUNGSINSEL 11 seasons · Düsseldorf
- BADESEE ECHTZ 11 seasons · Köln
- BADESEE EFFELD AM STRAND 11 seasons · Köln
- BADESEE LAHDE BADEBEREICH 11 seasons · Detmold
- BADESEE LANGENFELD 11 seasons · Düsseldorf
- BADESEE MINDENER WALD SEEMITTE 11 seasons · Detmold
- BADESTRAND NIDEGGEN ESCHAUEL 11 seasons · Köln
- BADEWEIHER STEG 11 seasons · Münster
- BEVERTALSPERRE CAMPINGPLATZ I 11 seasons · Köln
- BEVERTALSPERRE CAMPINGPLATZ II 11 seasons · Köln
- BEVERTALSPERRE KAEFERNBERG 11 seasons · Köln
- BEVERTALSPERRE ZORNIGE AMEISE 11 seasons · Köln
- BIGGESEE KESSENHAMMER 11 seasons · Arnsberg
- BIGGESEE SONDERN SURFCLUB 11 seasons · Arnsberg
- BIGGESEE SONDERNER KOPF 11 seasons · Arnsberg
- BIGGESEE WALDENBURGER BUCHT 11 seasons · Arnsberg
- BLAUSTEINSEE 11 seasons · Köln
- BLEIBTREUSEE BADESTRAND 11 seasons · Köln
- BRUCHERTALSPERRE CAMPINGPLATZ 11 seasons · Köln
- BRUCHERTALSPERRE DLRG 11 seasons · Köln
- BRUCHERTALSPERRE MAUER 11 seasons · Köln
Rated Poor in 2025
None of the 117 official bathing waters in North Rhine-Westphalia was classified Poor in 2025.
Changes from 2024 to 2025
Improved (4)
- BADESEE KAPUSCH HUECKELHOVEN AM STRAND Good → Excellent
- BETTENKAMPER MEER STRAND Good → Excellent
- DREILAENDERSEE GRONAU Good → Excellent
- FREIZEITANLAGE AASEE BOCHOLT Good → Excellent
Declined (4)
- EISERBACHSEE FREIBAD SCHWIMMER Excellent → Good
- HORSTMARER SEE MITTE BADEZONE Good → Sufficient
- LAGO LAPRELLO Excellent → Good
- NATURFREIBAD ATTERSEE Excellent → Good
How North Rhine-Westphalia rated since 2015
Counts for the sites in today’s 2025 inventory; the Excellent share is calculated over classified sites only.
| Season | Classified | Excellent | Excellent share | Poor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 113 | 103 | 91.2% | 0 |
| 2024 | 110 | 100 | 90.9% | 0 |
| 2023 | 107 | 102 | 95.3% | 0 |
| 2022 | 107 | 101 | 94.4% | 0 |
| 2021 | 107 | 102 | 95.3% | 0 |
| 2020 | 104 | 102 | 98.1% | 0 |
| 2019 | 109 | 105 | 96.3% | 0 |
| 2018 | 106 | 103 | 97.2% | 0 |
| 2017 | 108 | 106 | 98.1% | 0 |
| 2016 | 106 | 103 | 97.2% | 0 |
| 2015 | 106 | 104 | 98.1% | 0 |
Places with the most bathing waters in North Rhine-Westphalia
Each site is matched to its nearest named place (GeoNames, within 8 km in a straight line), so beaches of one resort or lake shore can be compared together. Select a place to show only its sites in the full list.
| Place | Administrative district | Sites | Excellent | Poor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marienheide | Köln | 7 | 6 (85.7%) | 0 |
| Olpe | Arnsberg | 6 | 6 (100%) | 0 |
| Hückeswagen | Köln | 4 | 4 (100%) | 0 |
| Möhnesee | Arnsberg | 4 | 4 (100%) | 0 |
| Wachtendonk | Düsseldorf | 3 | 3 (100%) | 0 |
| Leverkusen | Köln | 3 | 1 (33.3%) | 0 |
| Attendorn | Arnsberg | 2 | 2 (100%) | 0 |
| Bergneustadt | Köln | 2 | 2 (100%) | 0 |
| Dülmen | Münster | 2 | 2 (100%) | 0 |
| Erkrath | Düsseldorf | 2 | 2 (100%) | 0 |
| Heimbach | Köln | 2 | 2 (100%) | 0 |
| Hürth | Köln | 2 | 2 (100%) | 0 |
| Meschede | Arnsberg | 2 | 2 (100%) | 0 |
| Ostheim | Köln | 2 | 2 (100%) | 0 |
| Rheinhausen | Düsseldorf | 2 | 2 (100%) | 0 |
All 117 official bathing waters in North Rhine-Westphalia
Grouped by administrative district, alphabetical within each group. Open a site for its 2015–2025 history, nearby alternatives, weather forecast and the national profile link.
Download all 117 sites as CSV (classes 2015–2025, coordinates, nearest place; EEA data, CC BY 4.0)
Köln 42 sites · 85.7% Excellent
- AGGERTALSPERRE FREIBAD BRUCH · Bergneustadt Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- AGGERTALSPERRE LANTENBACH CAMPINGPLATZ · Bergneustadt Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- BADESEE ECHTZ · Jüngersdorf Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- BADESEE EFFELD AM STRAND · Wassenberg Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- BADESEE KAPUSCH HUECKELHOVEN AM STRAND · Hückelhoven Excellent Good → Excellent since 2024
- BADESTELLE BAGGERSEE JUELICH BARMEN AN DER SEESTRASSE · Jülich Good
- BADESTRAND NIDEGGEN ESCHAUEL · Heimbach Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- BEVERTALSPERRE CAMPINGPLATZ I · Hückeswagen Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- BEVERTALSPERRE CAMPINGPLATZ II · Hückeswagen Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- BEVERTALSPERRE KAEFERNBERG · Hückeswagen Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- BEVERTALSPERRE ZORNIGE AMEISE · Hückeswagen Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- BLAUSTEINSEE · Niedermerz Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- BLEIBTREUSEE BADESTRAND · Hürth Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- BRUCHERTALSPERRE CAMPINGPLATZ · Marienheide Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- BRUCHERTALSPERRE DLRG · Marienheide Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- BRUCHERTALSPERRE MAUER · Marienheide Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- BRUCHERTALSPERRE SEGELCLUB · Marienheide Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- DUERENER BADESEE IN DUEREN GUERZENICH · Düren Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- EISERBACHSEE FREIBAD SCHWIMMER · Simmerath Good Excellent → Good since 2024
- ESCHER BADESEE PLATTFORM · Mengenich Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- FREIBAD EINRUHR RURTALSP SCHWIMMER · Simmerath Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- FREILINGER SEE BADESTRAND · Blankenheim Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- FUEHLINGER SEE BADESTELLE SEE 1 · Leverkusen Not classified
- FUEHLINGER SEE BADESTELLE SEE 7 · Leverkusen Not classified
- FUEHLINGER SEE FREIBAD · Leverkusen Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- GROSSER SILBERSEE · Opladen Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- HEIDERBERGSEE BADESTRAND · Brühl Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- HITDORFER SEE · Monheim am Rhein Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- KRONENBURGER SEE BADESTRAND · Stadtkyll Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- LAGO LAPRELLO · Heinsberg Good Excellent → Good since 2024
- LIBLARER SEE BADESTRAND · Erftstadt Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- LINGESETALSPERRE CAMPINGPLATZ · Marienheide Excellent Excellent 3 seasons in a row
- LINGESETALSPERRE DLRG · Marienheide Good
- LINGESETALSPERRE LINGE · Marienheide Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- OTTO MAIGLER SEE BADESTRAND · Hürth Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- RATHER SEE BADESTELLE · Ostheim Excellent
- ROTTER SEE TROISDORF Excellent Excellent 3 seasons in a row
- VINGSTER BAGGERSEE BEGRENZUNGSPFOSTEN · Ostheim Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- WASSERSPORTSEE ZUELPICH BADESTRAND · Zülpich Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- WOFFELSBACHER BUCHT · Heimbach Excellent
- WUPPERTALSPERRE KRAEWINKLERBRUECKE · Radevormwald Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- ZIESELSMAAR BADESTRAND · Türnich Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
Arnsberg 26 sites · 88.5% Excellent
- ALBERSSEE SUEDSTRAND · Lippstadt Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- BIGGESEE KESSENHAMMER · Olpe Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- BIGGESEE SCHNUETGENHOF · Attendorn Excellent Excellent 9 seasons in a row
- BIGGESEE SONDERN SURFCLUB · Olpe Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- BIGGESEE SONDERNER KOPF · Olpe Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- BIGGESEE WALDENBURGER BUCHT · Attendorn Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- ESMECKE STAUSEE EINBERGSEE BADESTELLE · Eslohe Not classified
- GLOERTALSPERRE MITTLERE BADEZONE · Schalksmühle Excellent Excellent 7 seasons in a row
- GLOERTALSPERRE NOERDLICHE BADEZONE · Schalksmühle Excellent Excellent 7 seasons in a row
- HAARENER BAGGERSEE BADEBUCHT · Hamm Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- HENNETALSPERRE BADEBUCHT MIELINGHAUSEN · Meschede Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- HENNETALSPERRE BERGHAUSER BUCHT · Meschede Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- HILLEBACHSEE NIEDERSFELD · Siedlinghausen Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- HORSTMARER SEE MITTE BADEZONE · Lünen Sufficient Good → Sufficient since 2024
- LISTERTALSPERRE CAMPING WINDEBRUCH · Olpe Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- LISTERTALSPERRE DLRG · Olpe Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- LISTERTALSPERRE KALBERSCHNACKE · Olpe Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- LISTERTALSPERRE RENGERBERG · Drolshagen Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- MOEHNESEE STRANDBAD DELECKE · Möhnesee Excellent Excellent 4 seasons in a row
- MOEHNESEE STRANDBAD KOERBECKE NORD · Möhnesee Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- MOEHNESEE STRANDBAD KOERBECKE SUED · Möhnesee Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- MOEHNESEE STRANDBAD WAMEL · Möhnesee Excellent Excellent 2 seasons in a row
- NATURFREIBAD HEIL AM SPRUNGBRETT · Lünen Excellent Excellent 5 seasons in a row
- RUHRWIESEN IN LINDEN DAHLHAUSEN Sufficient
- SORPETALSPERRE STRANDBAD LANGSCHEID · Sundern Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- TERNSCHER SEE WALDFREIBAD · Selm Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
Düsseldorf 26 sites · 84.6% Excellent
- AUESEE RETTUNGSINSEL · Wesel Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- AUESEE TREIBSAND · Wesel Excellent Excellent 4 seasons in a row
- BADESEE LANGENFELD Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- BETTENKAMPER MEER STRAND · Moers Excellent Good → Excellent since 2024
- EYLLER SEE STRANDBAD · Wachtendonk Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- FREIZEITSEE ALPEN MENZELEN Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- GROSSENBAUMER SEE FREIZEITANLAGE · Rheinhausen Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- HEIDWEIHER STRANDBAD AM HEIDWEIHER · Schwalmtal Not classified
- KLEINER KAARSTER SEE NOERDLBADESTR · Vorst Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- KRUPPSEE FREIBAD · Rheinhausen Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- MILLINGER MEER BADESTRAND · Rees Good
- NATURBAD XANTEN WARDT NICHTSCHWIMMER Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- NATURBAD XANTEN WARDT SCHWIMMER Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- NATURFREIBAD KESSEL BADESTRAND · Pfalzdorf Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- NATURFREIBAD WACHTENDONK BADESTRAND Excellent Excellent 5 seasons in a row
- NEPTUN TREPPE · Fischeln Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- NIEVENHEIMER SEE NOERDLBADESTRAND · Dormagen Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- RUHR SCHWIMMSTELLE MUELHEIM AN DER RUHR · Mülheim Good
- SEASIDE BEACH BALDENEYSEE · Überruhr-Holthausen Good
- TENDERINGSSEE STRANDBAD · Voerde Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- UNTERBACHER SEE NORD · Erkrath Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- UNTERBACHER SEE SUED · Erkrath Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- WALDSEE STEG · Uerdingen Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- WANKUMER HEIDESEE BADESTRAND · Wachtendonk Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- WISSELER SEE STRANDBAD · Kalkar Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- WOLFSSEE FREIBAD · Hochfeld Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
Münster 12 sites · 91.7% Excellent
- BADEWEIHER STEG · Marl Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- BUDDENKUHLE · Ladbergen Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- DREILAENDERSEE GRONAU Excellent Good → Excellent since 2024
- FELDMARKSEE SEEUFER · Sassenberg Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- FREIZEITANLAGE AASEE BOCHOLT Excellent Good → Excellent since 2024
- NATURFREIBAD ATTERSEE · Lotte Good Excellent → Good since 2024
- PROEBSTINGSEE BORKEN Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- SEEBAD HALTERN EINBUCHTNICHTSCHW · Haltern am See Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- SILBERSEE II LINKS VOM BOOTSSTEG · Dülmen Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- SILBERSEE II RECHTS VOM BOOTSSTEG · Dülmen Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- TORFMOORSEE AM STEG · Hörstel Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- TUTTENBROCKSEE BADESTELLE · Beckum Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
Detmold 11 sites · 100% Excellent
- BADESEE LAHDE BADEBEREICH · Petershagen Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- BADESEE MINDENER WALD SEEMITTE · Hille Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- BORLEFZENER SEE DLRG STRAND · Vlotho Excellent Excellent 5 seasons in a row
- BORLEFZENER SEE KINDERSTRAND · Vlotho Excellent Excellent 5 seasons in a row
- FREIZEITANLAGE HOEXTER GODELHEIM BADESTELLE · Höxter Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- FREIZEITZENTRUM VARENHOLZ STEMMER SEE · Rinteln Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- GROSSER WESERBOGEN SUEDLICHER SEE · Bad Oeynhausen Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- LIPPE SEE · Hövelhof Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- NESTHAUSER SEE · Paderborn Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- SEE AM KLEIHUEGEL BADEBEREICH · Espelkamp Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- WALDBAD STEINHAGEN WALDBAD STEINHAGEN Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
Compared with other states in Germany
| # | State | Sites | Excellent | Poor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Berlin | 39 | 100% | 0 |
| 2 | Brandenburg | 249 | 95.6% | 0 |
| 3 | Hesse | 61 | 95.1% | 0 |
| 4 | Bavaria | 378 | 93.1% | 1 |
| 5 | Thuringia | 39 | 92.3% | 0 |
| 6 | Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania | 296 | 92.2% | 0 |
| 7 | Baden-Württemberg | 308 | 90.3% | 2 |
| 8 | Saxony-Anhalt | 72 | 90.3% | 0 |
| 9 | Schleswig-Holstein | 330 | 89.4% | 0 |
| 10 | Rhineland-Palatinate | 66 | 89.4% | 0 |
| 11 | North Rhine-Westphalia | 117 | 88% | 0 |
| 12 | Lower Saxony | 273 | 87.2% | 0 |
| 13 | Saxony | 32 | 81.3% | 0 |
| 14 | Hamburg | 16 | 81.3% | 0 |
States with at least 15 official bathing waters. Size, water type and how densely sites are designated differ, so the table is context rather than a verdict.
Quick answers
- How many bathing waters in North Rhine-Westphalia were rated Excellent in 2025?
- 103 of 117 (88%) in the official EEA 2025 classification; 8 were Good, 2 Sufficient and 0 Poor, and 4 had no class. That ranks North Rhine-Westphalia 11 of 14 Germany states by Excellent share.
- Which administrative district of North Rhine-Westphalia has the highest share of Excellent sites?
- Detmold: 100% of its 11 sites were Excellent in 2025. Münster follows with 91.7%. Only administrative districts with at least five sites are compared; see the full table.
- Which beaches and lakes in North Rhine-Westphalia have the best long-term record?
- 85 sites were Excellent in every season from 2015 to 2025, for example AGGERTALSPERRE FREIBAD BRUCH, AGGERTALSPERRE LANTENBACH CAMPINGPLATZ, ALBERSSEE SUEDSTRAND. See the ranking.
- Which places in North Rhine-Westphalia have the most official bathing waters?
- Marienheide (7, 85.7% Excellent), Olpe (6, 100% Excellent), Hückeswagen (4, 100% Excellent). See the place table; places are the nearest named settlement to each site.
- Were any bathing waters in North Rhine-Westphalia rated Poor?
- No. None was classified Poor in 2025.
- Where do I check whether swimming is allowed today?
- On Bathing waters in North Rhine-Westphalia, run by NRW Ministry for Environment, Nature Conservation and Transport, and on signs at the water. The annual EEA class does not include temporary bans or algae warnings.
Germany overview · All states of Germany · Bathing season dates
Sources and method
Bathing-water records: European Environment Agency (EEA), data and coordinates reported by Germany, licensed CC BY 4.0. Region and administrative district boundaries: Eurostat NUTS 2024 (© EuroGeographics for the administrative boundaries). Place names: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). A site belongs to the area that contains its reported coordinates; a site up to 10 km off the generalised coastline is placed in the nearest area of Germany. Counts, shares and rankings are calculated by BathingWaterFinder from the official records.