1. Signs and symbols for Article 12(1)(a) of the
Revised Bathing Water Directive (2006/7/EC)
Alison Conway
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) UK
Signs & Symbols Workshop, San Rossore, Pisa
11-12 June 2007

2. Article 12(1)(a) signs and symbols
Article 12(1)(a) says that we need to display:
- the current bathing water classification, and
- any bathing prohibition or advice against bathing …
by means of a clear and simple sign or symbol

3. Clear and simple

4. and not confusing…

5. or complicated…

6. and we don’t want to scare bathers!

7. Current water quality
classification

8. Water quality classification
For consistency, we should build on current systems in use in Europe and internationally
Need to consider disability issues, such as colour blindness
Other issues e.g. language
Two main decisions to make for the classification symbol:
What design to use
What colours to use for poor, sufficient, good and excellent

9. Smiley face POOR SUFFICIENT GOOD EXCELLENT Why?
Easily understood by the public e.g. a happy face means ‘good’, a sad face is ‘bad’ or ‘poor’
Already in use to display water quality information e.g. Scotland, Belgium, Czech Republic
Faces can be distinguished because of different colours and expressions.
Red, amber, green – recognisable, similar to traffic light system.
Poor = red (danger, stop)
Excellent = blue, compatible with Blue Flag

10. Swimming man
POOR
SUFFICIENT
GOOD
EXCELLENT

11. Standing man
POOR
SUFFICIENT
GOOD
EXCELLENT

12. Water droplet
POOR
SUFFICIENT
GOOD
EXCELLENT

13. Water droplet – alternative colours
POOR
SUFFICIENT
GOOD
EXCELLENT

14. Water droplet – alternative colours
POOR
SUFFICIENT
GOOD
EXCELLENT

15. Permanent/temporary bathing prohibition Advise against bathing
Water droplet
Bathing water closed
Permanent/temporary bathing prohibition
Advise against bathing

16. Water droplet – different numbers
POOR
SUFFICIENT
GOOD
EXCELLENT

17. Ideas for consideration
Smiley face
Water droplet
Swimming man
Standing man

18. Bathing prohibition or advice against bathing
We want to build on current systems
Standard international (ISO) signs may be appropriate
Potential to incorporate warning flags into the system

19. Bathing prohibition ISO symbol has been developed for ‘Do not swim’
In common use (even if not always in standard format)
Widely understood by the public
Is its meaning too strong for advice against bathing?

20. Advice against bathing
An additional symbol may be needed to advise against bathing
Black/yellow triangle alerts people to a hazard or danger that may cause harm
Where possible, the hazard is shown by a clear image
If not possible, an exclamation mark is used with additional wording underneath
If advising against bathing, the hazard is likely to be poor water quality
But this is a difficult concept to show in a simple image
ISO signage experts couldn’t think of a suitable alternative!
It’s difficult because:
You can’t SEE water quality
Different sources of pollution - it can’t be represented by one symbol
Ideas included a test tube (no general understanding), sewer outfall (not suitable for diffuse pollution etc)

21. Beware of…..poor water quality
Designing a symbol isn’t that easy!

22. Proposal using existing symbols
Do not swim
Bathing prohibition
Advice against bathing
ISO signage experts couldn’t think of a suitable alternative!
It’s difficult because:
You can’t SEE water quality
Different sources of pollution - it can’t be represented by one symbol
Ideas included a test tube (no general understanding), sewer outfall (not suitable for diffuse pollution etc)
Poor Water Quality
Poor Water Quality
Bathing not advised

23. Red flag and bathing water quality
On lifeguarded beaches, the red flag means danger and is used to warn bathers not to enter the water
Its message is widely understood
It could be used on the beach to reinforce the ‘do not swim’ symbol when bathing is prohibited
Danger:
do not enter the water

24. Can we do better than this?