Official ARPACAL classification 2026
Summary of the ARPACAL report «Bathing Water Quality of Calabria» (May 2026): classification of 649 Calabrian bathing waters for the 2026 season, based on the 2022–2025 four-year window. This is the institutional dataset that triggers permanent bans and management obligations for the season.
Difference from the main page. The main bathing waters page shows real-time samples for the current season (E. coli and Enterococci, from the Ministry of Health portal + weekly ARPACAL xlsx). This page shows the official ARPACAL annual classification, computed at end of season over the previous four years, valid for the whole following season (it triggers bans for Poor-class areas).
Classification by province
Distribution of bathing waters by quality class for each Calabrian province, and coastline km covered. Reggio Calabria concentrates 88% of the Poor-class waters of the whole region.
| Province | Total | Km | Excellent | Good | Sufficient | Poor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cosenza (CS) | 237 | 205,8 | 224 (94,5%) | 11 | 1 | 1 |
| Catanzaro (CZ) | 102 | 99,5 | 98 (96,1%) | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Crotone (KR) | 85 | 108,8 | 73 (85,9%) | 8 | 4 | 0 |
| Reggio Calabria (RC) | 161 | 186,7 | 127 (78,9%) | 15 | 4 | 15 |
| Vibo Valentia (VV) | 64 | 70,1 | 57 (89,1%) | 6 | 0 | 1 |
Classification by coastal zone
The same waters, split across the five TYRN SEA zones instead of by province. The provincial split does not show where the problems are, because Reggio Calabria spans both the Tyrrhenian and the Ionian side.
| Zone | Total | Coast km | Excellent | Good | Sufficient | Poor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tirreno Nord | 129 | 150 | 117 (90.7%) | 10 | 1 | 1 |
| Tirreno Sud | 102 | 175 | 89 (87.3%) | 6 | 0 | 5 |
| Estremo Sud | 81 | 115 | 56 (69.1%) | 9 | 4 | 11 |
| Ionio Sud | 129 | 190 | 123 (95.3%) | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| Ionio Nord | 154 | 160 | 143 (92.9%) | 7 | 4 | 0 |
Two readings. The Far South is the outlier: 69% Excellent waters against 90–95% in every other zone, and it holds 11 of the region’s 17 Poor waters, eight of them along Reggio’s urban seafront. The Ionian, north and south together, has no Poor water out of 283: a fact the provincial split hid, because Reggio’s Ionian coast was added to its Tyrrhenian one.
Which are the 17 Poor-class waters, and where
Of these, 15 out of 17 are currently closed to bathing: the Poor class is not an abstract label, it turns into bans in force. Tap the municipality to open its page, where the point is shown on the map.
Estremo Sud (11)
- Brancaleone · I.D. BRANCALEONE closed today
- Montebello Ionico · MUSA S.ELIA closed today
- Reggio di Calabria · GALLICO - LIMONETO closed today
- Reggio di Calabria · CIRCOLO NAUTICO closed today
- Reggio di Calabria · LIDO COMUNALE PONTILE N closed today
- Reggio di Calabria · LIDO COMUNALE PONTILE S closed today
- Reggio di Calabria · LIDO COMUNALE VILLA ZERBI closed today
- Reggio di Calabria · RAVAGNESE - SABBIE BIANCHE closed today
- Reggio di Calabria · PELLARO - LUME closed today
- Reggio di Calabria · 500 M N TOTT. ANNUNZIATA closed today
- Reggio di Calabria · CIRCOLO VELICO closed today
Tirreno Nord (1)
- Paola · ZONA PENNELLI ELISUPERFICIE - EX PAOLA AREA 8 closed today
Tirreno Sud (5)
- Gioia Tauro · PONTILE N closed today
- Gioia Tauro · SIDAC
- Gioia Tauro · 200 M.PETRACE
- Nicotera · 200 MT A DX F. MESIMA closed today
- San Ferdinando · DELTA MESIMA closed today
Why the totals differ from the provincial table
This table counts the 595 waters in the register currently active on the Ministry Portal; the provincial one counts 649, the register ARPACAL classified over 2022–2025, which includes points later dismissed. The difference is almost entirely in Excellent waters (51) plus 6 Good: Sufficient (10) and Poor (17) match exactly between the two sources, verified point by point against the 70 non-Excellent named in the report.
The kilometres also measure different things: here it is the zone’s total coast (790 km in total, recalibrated on the official 788.92 km for Calabria), while the provincial table reports the coast covered by bathing waters (670.9 km). They are not comparable.
Comparison 2025 → 2026
The regional picture is essentially stable: -11 excellent but +11 good (internal reclassification with no net worsening). Sufficient and Poor classes remain at contained values.
| Class | 2025 | 2026 | Δ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Excellent | 590 | 579 | -11 |
| Good | 32 | 43 | +11 |
| Sufficient | 11 | 10 | -1 |
| Poor | 16 | 17 | +1 |
Class changes 2025 → 2026
Sampling points that changed quality class from the 2025 to the 2026 classification. Most changes stay within the high classes (Excellent ↔ Good).
Improvements (15)
| Prov. | Comune | Denominazione | 2025 → 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| CS | BELVEDERE MARITTIMO | 100 MT SX T. DI MARE L.TA` CAPO TIRONE | BUONA → ECCELLENTE |
| CS | BELVEDERE MARITTIMO | 100 MT DX T. DI MARE L.TA` CAPO TIRONE | BUONA → ECCELLENTE |
| CS | CETRARO | 100 MT SX FIUME ARON | BUONA → ECCELLENTE |
| CS | CROSIA | SBOCCO F.SO DECANATO | BUONA → ECCELLENTE |
| CS | PAOLA | PAOLA AREA 9 | SCARSA → SUFFICIENTE |
| CZ | CATANZARO | PALAZZO BIANCO | BUONA → ECCELLENTE |
| KR | CROTONE | A 500 MT A SUD FIUME NETO | BUONA → ECCELLENTE |
| RC | BIANCO | CAMPING IONIO BLU | BUONA → ECCELLENTE |
| RC | BRANCALEONE | PONTILE | SUFFICIENTE → BUONA |
| RC | MELITO PORTO SALVO | STAZ. FF.SS. | SUFFICIENTE → BUONA |
| RC | MELITO PORTO SALVO | MARINA | SUFFICIENTE → BUONA |
| RC | MELITO PORTO SALVO | PILATI | SUFFICIENTE → BUONA |
| RC | REGGIO CALABRIA | LIDO CAPONERA | BUONA → ECCELLENTE |
| RC | SAN FERDINANDO | CAMPING PORTA DEL SOLE | SUFFICIENTE → BUONA |
| VV | RICADI | SUD TORRE MARINA | BUONA → ECCELLENTE |
Worsenings (26)
| Prov. | Comune | Denominazione | 2025 → 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| CS | BELVEDERE MARITTIMO | SCOGLIO VETTICELLE | ECCELLENTE → BUONA |
| CS | FALCONARA ALBANESE | 100 MT SX TORRENTE MALPERTUSO | ECCELLENTE → BUONA |
| CS | FUSCALDO | 150 MT SX TORRENTE MADDALENA | ECCELLENTE → BUONA |
| CS | FUSCALDO | 150 MT DX TORRENTE MADDALENA | ECCELLENTE → BUONA |
| CS | PAOLA | PAOLA AREA 11 | ECCELLENTE → BUONA |
| CS | SCALEA | 150 MT SX FIUME LAO | ECCELLENTE → BUONA |
| CZ | SOVERATO | LOC. CORVO | BUONA → SUFFICIENTE |
| CZ | STALETTI | LIDO GUGLIELMO | ECCELLENTE → BUONA |
| CZ | STALETTI | RISTORANTE BILBO' | ECCELLENTE → BUONA |
| KR | CIRO' MARINA | 200 MT NORD DEPURATORE CIRO' MARINA | BUONA → SUFFICIENTE |
| KR | CROTONE | GABELLA GRANDE | ECCELLENTE → BUONA |
| KR | CROTONE | TOR. PASSO VECCHIO | ECCELLENTE → BUONA |
| KR | CRUCOLI | LIDO BRUTIUM | ECCELLENTE → SUFFICIENTE |
| KR | ISOLA CAPO RIZZUTO | CORRISPONDENTE VALTUR | ECCELLENTE → BUONA |
| KR | STRONGOLI | 300 MT NORD FIUME NETO | ECCELLENTE → BUONA |
| RC | AFRICO | STAZ. FF.SS. | ECCELLENTE → BUONA |
| RC | GIOIA TAURO | SIDAC | SUFFICIENTE → SCARSA |
| RC | MONASTERACE | CAMPING PUNTA STILO | ECCELLENTE → BUONA |
| RC | REGGIO CALABRIA | GALLICO - FATA MORGANA | BUONA → SUFFICIENTE |
| RC | REGGIO CALABRIA | LIDO COMUNALE VILLA ZERBI | SUFFICIENTE → SCARSA |
| RC | SCILLA | DEPURATORE | ECCELLENTE → BUONA |
| RC | SCILLA | CHIESA SAN GIUSEPPE | ECCELLENTE → BUONA |
| RC | SCILLA | 200 M N VALLONE CONDOLEO | BUONA → SUFFICIENTE |
| VV | NICOTERA | SUD SPIAGGIA PINETA | ECCELLENTE → BUONA |
| VV | NICOTERA | SUD SPIAGGIA PINETA 2 | ECCELLENTE → BUONA |
| VV | RICADI | SPIAGGIA S.MARIA | ECCELLENTE → BUONA |
Non-excellent waters stable 2025 = 2026 (38)
Points keeping the same class (not Excellent) in both years. Structural criticalities deserving priority monitoring via TYRN SEA reports and Sentinel-2 imagery.
| Prov. | Comune | Denominazione | Class |
|---|---|---|---|
| CS | BELVEDERE MARITTIMO | 250 MT DX FIUME SOLEO | BUONA |
| CS | CASSANO ALLO IONIO | LIDO LAGHI DI SIBARI | BUONA |
| CS | PAOLA | PAOLA AREA 8 | SCARSA |
| CS | PAOLA | PAOLA AREA 13 | BUONA |
| CS | PAOLA | PAOLA AREA 7 | BUONA |
| CS | SAN LUCIDO | STAZ.NE FF.SS.SAN LUCIDO | BUONA |
| CZ | BORGIA | 200 MT SUD F. CORACE | BUONA |
| KR | CIRO' MARINA | HOTEL RANCH | BUONA |
| KR | CROTONE | LIDO TRICOLI | SUFFICIENTE |
| KR | CROTONE | DI FRONTE CIMITERO | BUONA |
| KR | CRUCOLI | A 300 MT.SUD DEL TORRENTE CASSIA | SUFFICIENTE |
| KR | CRUCOLI | LIDO FICO D'INDIA | BUONA |
| KR | MELISSA | PALAZZINA CAPARRA | BUONA |
| RC | BRANCALEONE | ALTALIA | SUFFICIENTE |
| RC | BRANCALEONE | I.D. BRANCALEONE | SCARSA |
| RC | GIOIA TAURO | PONTILE N | SCARSA |
| RC | GIOIA TAURO | PONTILE S | BUONA |
| RC | GIOIA TAURO | 200 M.PETRACE | SCARSA |
| RC | MONTEBELLO IONICO | MUSA S.ELIA | SCARSA |
| RC | REGGIO CALABRIA | CATONA - CENTRO SVIZZERO | BUONA |
| RC | REGGIO CALABRIA | CATONA - BAR REITANO | BUONA |
| RC | REGGIO CALABRIA | GALLICO - LIMONETO | SCARSA |
| RC | REGGIO CALABRIA | GALLICO - LIDO MIMMO | SUFFICIENTE |
| RC | REGGIO CALABRIA | GALLICO - CAMPING | BUONA |
| RC | REGGIO CALABRIA | CIRCOLO NAUTICO | SCARSA |
| RC | REGGIO CALABRIA | LIDO COMUNALE PONTILE N | SCARSA |
| RC | REGGIO CALABRIA | LIDO COMUNALE PONTILE S | SCARSA |
| RC | REGGIO CALABRIA | RAVAGNESE - AEROPORTO | BUONA |
| RC | REGGIO CALABRIA | RAVAGNESE - SABBIE BIANCHE | SCARSA |
| RC | REGGIO CALABRIA | S.GREGORIO - TEMESA N | BUONA |
| RC | REGGIO CALABRIA | PELLARO - LUME | SCARSA |
| RC | REGGIO CALABRIA | 500 M N TOTT. ANNUNZIATA | SCARSA |
| RC | REGGIO CALABRIA | CIRCOLO VELICO | SCARSA |
| RC | SAN FERDINANDO | DELTA MESIMA | SCARSA |
| VV | BRIATICO | LA ROCCHETTA | BUONA |
| VV | NICOTERA | 200 MT A DX F. MESIMA | SCARSA |
| VV | PIZZO | AREA MUSEO CIVICO | BUONA |
| VV | ZAMBRONE | SX F. POTAME | BUONA |
How ARPACAL classifies waters (method, 4 classes, statistical thresholds)
Classification follows the Italian M.D. 30 March 2010 annex II: for each area the 95th percentile of intestinal Enterococci and Escherichia coli is computed over the last four-year sampling window (at least 16 samples required; otherwise three-year). Legal thresholds are:
- Excellent: EI ≤ 100 UFC/100ml · EC ≤ 250 UFC/100ml (95° perc.)
- Good: EI ≤ 200 · EC ≤ 500 (95° perc.)
- Sufficient: EI ≤ 185 · EC ≤ 500 (90° perc.)
- Poor: higher values — bathing ban applies for the whole following season.
Areas in Poor class for 5 consecutive seasons are permanently excluded from bathing waters (art. 8(4) Italian D.Lgs. 116/2008). Mayors must prohibit bathing across the affected stretch until the first compliant sample of the following season.
Primary source. ARPACAL — Bathing Water Quality of Calabria. Classification 2026 Season (data 2022–2025), May 2026. Original PDF available on ARPACAL website: arpacal.it · Reports · Bathing. Data on this page are transcribed from the PDF and cross-validated against the Ministry of Health Bathing Water Portal.