SOUTH West Water has announced the launch of its new water quality map, claiming that they're hoping to boost people's confidence in the quality of bathing waters at their favourite beaches. 

What you might not know is that there's already a pretty comprehensive map regarding water quality around the UK, and has been for a while now.

Surfers Against Sewage already have had an interactive map that monitors the quality of bathing waters by tracking real-time sewage discharge and pollution risks around the UK. 

So, given that one is a grassroots campaign group and the other recorded profits of almost £128 million last year, the question this Skipper has is: What took them so long?

Given the deluge of bad press storm overflows and sewage discharges have had over the past year or so, and the fact that South West Water has consistently ranked as one of the worst-performing water companies in the country, you might be forgiven for thinking this kind of scheme was well overdue.

The Environment Agency even went as far as to say that its bosses should faces prison if there is a 'serious pollution incident' after giving it a one-star rating last year. 

So, perhaps South West Water is on to something by allowing people to see what they already know, or maybe they're just running out of their own ideas? Either way, they've got a lot more to do if they're looking to clean up their act.