Bathing water quality in Groningen, Netherlands
Groningen has 49 official bathing waters in the EEA dataset for the 2025 season (46 lake, 2 transitional (lagoon/estuary) and 1 river). 53.1% were classified Excellent — 17.8 points below the 70.9% across Netherlands — and 7 were Poor. By area, the Excellent share is highest in Overig Groningen (60% of 25) and lowest in Oost-Groningen (55% of 20). 16 sites have been Excellent in every season from 2015 to 2025.
Zwemwaterkwaliteit in Groningen
Van de 49 officiële EU-zwemlocaties in Groningen was in 2025 53,1% ‘uitstekend’; aantal locaties met ‘slecht’: 7.
official bathing waters
Excellent in 2025
Poor in 2025
Map of official bathing waters in Groningen
Groningen by area
Sites are placed in the Eurostat NUTS 3 areas that contain their reported coordinates.
| Area | Sites | Excellent | Good | Sufficient | Poor | Not classified |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overig Groningen | 25 | 15 (60%) | 4 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| Oost-Groningen | 20 | 11 (55%) | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Delfzijl en omgeving | 4 | 0 (0%) | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
Sea, lakes and rivers in Groningen
| Water type | Sites | Excellent | Good | Sufficient | Poor | Not classified |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Transitional (lagoon/estuary) | 2 | 0 (0%) | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Lake | 46 | 26 (56.5%) | 8 | 6 | 5 | 1 |
| River | 1 | 0 (0%) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 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
16 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.
- CAMPING PLATHUIS, BOURTANGE 11 seasons · Oost-Groningen
- DE BARKHOORN, SELLINGEN 11 seasons · Oost-Groningen
- DE SELLINGERBEETSE, SELLINGEN 11 seasons · Oost-Groningen
- HEERESVELD, NIEUWE PEKELA 11 seasons · Oost-Groningen
- KEMPERPARK, BELLINGWOLDE 11 seasons · Oost-Groningen
- KOETSHUIS, BORGERSWOLD VEENDAM 11 seasons · Oost-Groningen
- LAUWERSMEER, STRAND MEERKOET 11 seasons · Overig Groningen
- LETTELBERTERPLAS, LETTELBERT 11 seasons · Overig Groningen
- PAGEDAL, STADSKANAAL 11 seasons · Oost-Groningen
- PATERSWOLDSEMEER DE LIJTE, HAREN 11 seasons · Overig Groningen
- RECREATIEPARK WESTERKWARTIER 11 seasons · Overig Groningen
- RECREATIEPLAS,ENGELBERT 11 seasons · Overig Groningen
- SCHILDMEER, STEENDAM 11 seasons · Overig Groningen
- VEENDIEPPLASSEN, BELLINGWOLDE 11 seasons · Oost-Groningen
- WATERMOLEN, OPENDE 11 seasons · Overig Groningen
- ZWANEVELDSGAT, KOLHAM 11 seasons · Overig Groningen
- GRUNOSTRAND, HARKSTEDE 10 seasons · Overig Groningen
- STRANDHEEM, OPENDE 10 seasons · Overig Groningen
- LAUWERSMEER, STRAND BRILDUIKER 9 seasons · Overig Groningen
- LAUWERSMEER, STRAND KLEINE ZWAAN 8 seasons · Overig Groningen
- MEEROEVERS MEERSTAD 5 seasons · Overig Groningen
- LANGEBOSCH, VEENDAM 4 seasons · Oost-Groningen
- SUYDEROOGH, LAUWERSOOG 4 seasons · Overig Groningen
- LANDGOED TENAXX 3 seasons · Oost-Groningen
Rated Poor in 2025
For a Poor site the Bathing Water Directive requires management measures, including a bathing prohibition or advice against bathing, so check the authority before visiting.
- ZEESTRAND TERMUNTEN Poor in 7 of 9 classified seasons · Delfzijl en omgeving
- PARC EMSLANDERMEER, VLAGTWEDDE Poor in 5 of 10 classified seasons · Oost-Groningen
- REITDIEP, GARNWERD Poor in 4 of 11 classified seasons · Overig Groningen
- MOEKESGAT, TER APEL Poor in 3 of 11 classified seasons · Oost-Groningen
- RUITERSHORN, MUNTENDAM Poor in 3 of 11 classified seasons · Overig Groningen
- BOTJESZWEMBAAI Poor in 2 of 10 classified seasons · Overig Groningen
- PROOSTMEER, WAGENBORGEN Poor in 1 of 11 classified seasons · Delfzijl en omgeving
Changes from 2024 to 2025
Improved (3)
- BEERSTERPLAS, BEERTA Good → Excellent
- CAMPING WEDDERBERGEN, WEDDE Poor → Sufficient
- STADSSTRAND GRONINGEN Poor → Sufficient
Declined (3)
- RECREATIEPLAS KARDINGE , GRONINGEN Excellent → Sufficient
- PROOSTMEER, WAGENBORGEN Sufficient → Poor
- ZEESTRAND EEMSHOTEL, DELFZIJL Good → Sufficient
How Groningen 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 | 48 | 26 | 54.2% | 7 |
| 2024 | 46 | 26 | 56.5% | 7 |
| 2023 | 45 | 28 | 62.2% | 6 |
| 2022 | 46 | 31 | 67.4% | 5 |
| 2021 | 45 | 29 | 64.4% | 4 |
| 2020 | 43 | 29 | 67.4% | 3 |
| 2019 | 43 | 30 | 69.8% | 2 |
| 2018 | 42 | 32 | 76.2% | 1 |
| 2017 | 41 | 31 | 75.6% | 0 |
| 2016 | 38 | 29 | 76.3% | 0 |
| 2015 | 39 | 28 | 71.8% | 2 |
Places with the most bathing waters in Groningen
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 | Area | Sites | Excellent | Poor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harkstede | Overig Groningen | 3 | 3 (100%) | 0 |
| Sellingen | Oost-Groningen | 3 | 2 (66.7%) | 0 |
| Vlagtwedde | Oost-Groningen | 3 | 1 (33.3%) | 1 |
| Bellingwolde | Oost-Groningen | 2 | 2 (100%) | 0 |
| Leek | Overig Groningen | 2 | 2 (100%) | 0 |
| Opende | Overig Groningen | 2 | 2 (100%) | 0 |
| Ulrum | Overig Groningen | 2 | 2 (100%) | 0 |
| Zoutkamp | Overig Groningen | 2 | 2 (100%) | 0 |
| Oude Pekela | Oost-Groningen | 2 | 1 (50%) | 0 |
| Midwolda | Oost-Groningen | 2 | 0 (0%) | 0 |
| Oosterhoogebrug | Overig Groningen | 2 | 0 (0%) | 0 |
All 49 official bathing waters in Groningen
Grouped by area, alphabetical within each group. Open a site for its 2015–2025 history, nearby alternatives, weather forecast and the national profile link.
Download all 49 sites as CSV (classes 2015–2025, coordinates, nearest place; EEA data, CC BY 4.0)
Overig Groningen 25 sites · 60% Excellent · 3 Poor
- BOTJESZWEMBAAI · Noordbroek Poor Poor in 2 of 10 classified seasons
- GRUNOSTRAND, HARKSTEDE Excellent Excellent 10 seasons in a row
- LAUWERSMEER, STRAND BRILDUIKER · Ulrum Excellent Excellent 9 seasons in a row
- LAUWERSMEER, STRAND KLEINE ZWAAN · Ulrum Excellent Excellent 8 seasons in a row
- LAUWERSMEER, STRAND LEPELAAR Good
- LAUWERSMEER, STRAND MEERKOET Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- LAUWERSMEER, STRAND ZEEAREND Good
- LETTELBERTERPLAS, LETTELBERT · Leek Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- MEEROEVERS MEERSTAD · Harkstede Excellent Excellent 5 seasons in a row
- PATERSWOLDSEMEER DE LIJTE, HAREN · Paterswolde Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- RECREATIEPARK WESTERKWARTIER · Leek Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- RECREATIEPLAS KARDINGE , GRONINGEN · Oosterhoogebrug Sufficient Excellent → Sufficient since 2024
- RECREATIEPLAS,ENGELBERT · Harkstede Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- REITDIEP, GARNWERD · Winsum Poor Poor in 4 of 11 classified seasons
- RUITERSHORN, MUNTENDAM · Zuidbroek Poor Poor in 3 of 11 classified seasons
- RUSKENVEEN, GRONINGEN · Hoogkerk Good
- SCHILDMEER, STEENDAM · Siddeburen Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- STADSSTRAND GRONINGEN Sufficient Poor → Sufficient since 2024
- STRAND ZIJLKADE MEERSTAD · Oosterhoogebrug Good
- STRAND ZOUTKAMP Excellent Excellent 3 seasons in a row
- STRANDHEEM, OPENDE Excellent Excellent 10 seasons in a row
- SUYDEROOGH, LAUWERSOOG · Zoutkamp Excellent Excellent 4 seasons in a row
- WATERMOLEN, OPENDE Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- ZUIDLAARDERMEER, MEERWIJCK · Glimmen Sufficient
- ZWANEVELDSGAT, KOLHAM · Hoogezand Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
Oost-Groningen 20 sites · 55% Excellent · 2 Poor
- BEERSTERPLAS, BEERTA · Winschoten Excellent Good → Excellent since 2024
- CAMPING PLATHUIS, BOURTANGE · Vlagtwedde Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- CAMPING WEDDERBERGEN, WEDDE · Blijham Sufficient Poor → Sufficient since 2024
- DE BARKHOORN, SELLINGEN Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- DE BOUWTE, MIDWOLDA Good
- DE PAPAVER, SELLINGEN Not classified
- DE SELLINGERBEETSE, SELLINGEN Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- HEERESVELD, NIEUWE PEKELA Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- KEMPERPARK, BELLINGWOLDE Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- KOETSHUIS, BORGERSWOLD VEENDAM Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- LANDGOED TENAXX · Oude Pekela Excellent Excellent 3 seasons in a row
- LANGEBOSCH, VEENDAM · Wildervank Excellent Excellent 4 seasons in a row
- MOEKESGAT, TER APEL Poor Poor in 3 of 11 classified seasons
- NATTE HORIZON, BOURTANGE · Vlagtwedde Good
- NOORDRAND OLDAMBTMEER · Midwolda Sufficient
- PAGEDAL, STADSKANAAL Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
- PARC EMSLANDERMEER, VLAGTWEDDE Poor Poor in 5 of 10 classified seasons
- PLAN ZUID, PEKELA · Oude Pekela Good
- STRAND ZUID OLDAMBTMEER · Heiligerlee Sufficient
- VEENDIEPPLASSEN, BELLINGWOLDE Excellent Excellent 11 seasons in a row
Delfzijl en omgeving 4 sites · 0% Excellent · 2 Poor
- DE EEMS, TERMUNTEN · Nieuwolda Good
- PROOSTMEER, WAGENBORGEN Poor Poor in 1 of 11 classified seasons
- ZEESTRAND EEMSHOTEL, DELFZIJL Sufficient Good → Sufficient since 2024
- ZEESTRAND TERMUNTEN · Farmsum Poor Poor in 7 of 9 classified seasons
Compared with other provinces in Netherlands
| # | Province | Sites | Excellent | Poor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zeeland | 58 | 89.7% | 0 |
| 2 | Drenthe | 41 | 87.8% | 0 |
| 3 | North Brabant | 101 | 85.1% | 2 |
| 4 | Gelderland | 97 | 79.4% | 2 |
| 5 | Overijssel | 51 | 78.4% | 1 |
| 6 | Limburg | 34 | 76.5% | 0 |
| 7 | Flevoland | 30 | 73.3% | 1 |
| 8 | Utrecht | 29 | 69% | 4 |
| 9 | South Holland | 104 | 67.3% | 2 |
| 10 | Groningen | 49 | 53.1% | 7 |
| 11 | North Holland | 111 | 51.4% | 8 |
| 12 | Friesland | 52 | 48.1% | 4 |
Provinces 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 Groningen were rated Excellent in 2025?
- 26 of 49 (53.1%) in the official EEA 2025 classification; 8 were Good, 7 Sufficient and 7 Poor, and 1 had no class. That ranks Groningen 10 of 12 Netherlands provinces by Excellent share.
- Which area of Groningen has the highest share of Excellent sites?
- Overig Groningen: 60% of its 25 sites were Excellent in 2025. Only areas with at least five sites are compared; see the full table.
- Which beaches and lakes in Groningen have the best long-term record?
- 16 sites were Excellent in every season from 2015 to 2025, for example CAMPING PLATHUIS, BOURTANGE, DE BARKHOORN, SELLINGEN, DE SELLINGERBEETSE, SELLINGEN. See the ranking.
- Which places in Groningen have the most official bathing waters?
- Harkstede (3, 100% Excellent), Sellingen (3, 66.7% Excellent), Vlagtwedde (3, 33.3% Excellent). See the place table; places are the nearest named settlement to each site.
- Were any bathing waters in Groningen rated Poor?
- Yes, 7: ZEESTRAND TERMUNTEN, PARC EMSLANDERMEER, VLAGTWEDDE, REITDIEP, GARNWERD, MOEKESGAT, TER APEL and 3 more.
- Where do I check whether swimming is allowed today?
- On Zwemwater.nl (The provinces, with Rijkswaterstaat for national waters). Temporary bans, pollution alerts and closures are published there and on signs at the water, not in the annual EEA class.
Netherlands overview · All provinces of Netherlands · Bathing season dates
Sources and method
Bathing-water records: European Environment Agency (EEA), data and coordinates reported by Netherlands, licensed CC BY 4.0. Region and area 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 Netherlands. Counts, shares and rankings are calculated by BathingWaterFinder from the official records.