THE latest bathing water quality results in the Isle of Man show 13 out of 19 beaches tested make the grade.
But Port Grenaugh, Bay-ny-Carrickey, Peel, Jurby, Port Lewaigue and Laxey are the six beaches that failed to meet standards.
It is the highest number of beaches not to have met quality standards for the past few years.
The water quality at five beaches was poor in 2008 and 2009 while only four beaches didn't come up to scratch in 2007.
The beaches in areas served by the IRIS scheme have received good results this year.
The Isle of Man Water and Sewerage Authority is delighted with the figures for Douglas, Onchan, Castletown, Derbyhaven, Port St Mary and Port Erin as they achieved a quality of good or above for 99 per cent of the sea water samples analysed during the summer.
Derbyhaven has "excellent" water quality.
A further six beaches not associated with IRIS - Port Soderick, Fenella Beach in Peel, Glen Wyllin, Kirk Michael (Balleria), Ramsey and Garwick, also made the grade.
The Department of the Environment, Food and Agriculture's Environmental Protection Unit, in conjunction with the government labratory, analysed 380 samples from the 19 beaches from May to September.
The samples are tested for the presence of bacteria which indicate contamination of the water from human or animal waste.
Dr Phil Styles of the EPU said: "It is pleasing to note the number of samples which achieved the excellent or good standard in those areas which are connected to IRIS and where untreated sewage is no longer continiously discharged into the sea.
"The presence of some indicator bacteria in samples may be due to some wash off from farmland - or other sources of contamination such as septic tanks - but I am convinced that the IRIS sewage treatement strategy is a major factor in the improvement of bathing water quality found from Port Erin through to Onchan.
"It is hoped that these environmental improvements will continue as the IRIS programme is delivered to the remainder of the Island."
Tim Crookall MHK, chairman of the Isle of Man Water and Sewage Authority, has vowed the authority is keen to introduce better standards in the areas with poor quality bathing water.
He said: "Tynwald has been committed to delivering the environmental improvements, which modern sewage treatment offers, for almost 20 years.
"The business case for the IRIS regional sewage treatment strategy was approved in 2009 and the recently formed Water and Sewerage Authority, which I have the pleasure to chair, is keen to deliver the remainder of this essential programme of works.
"Clean beaches and a healthy aquatic environment are a prime aim of the authority and the residents in the west, north and east of the Island which are not currently connected to modern sewage treatment facilites, expect us to deliver the schemes and the environmental improvements approved by Tynwald."
