Proposals include first ever designated bathing spot on River Thames
Image description: The river Thames flowing under Tower Bridge, with heavy boat traffic. Photo by: Pietro de Grandi, Unsplash
The government has proposed 13 new designated swimming locations, including the first ever official bathing spot in London’s River Thames.
Achieving designated status means these locations will undergo regular water quality testing by the Environment Agency, providing the public with more detailed information regarding the safety of swimming, paddling, and water sports. It also places more pressure on water companies to cut sewage pollution in areas that have been designated as bathing water sites.
Being designated can also bring wider benefits for local areas – from placing more pressure on water companies to cut sewage pollution in areas that have been designated as bathing water sites, to boosting tourism and strengthening community pride in much-loved rivers and beaches.
The state of UK waterways
Campaigners began fighting for bathing water status for rivers six years ago under the EU-derived bathing water directive. Rivers have suffered under a chemical cocktail of sewage discharge from water companies, forever chemicals and road and agricultural runoff.
Head of campaigns at River Action, Amy Fairman, said, “We welcome efforts to classify more of the UK’s waterways as bathing sites, as this means they will be monitored seasonally for pollution.”
But she said water quality in all but two of England’s 14 designated inland bathing sites were rated poor. “This is a national embarrassment, especially when France has over 1,200 inland bathing sites with most rated excellent.”
Emma expressed concerns that “until water companies are restructured to put people, nature and society ahead of profit”, and agricultural and chemical pollution are tackled, UK rivers will remain among the dirtiest in Europe.”
The Thames could see its first ever official bathing spot
The Thames at Ham, in south-west London, was shortlisted as a new river bathing water after campaigners gathered evidence to show thousands of people use the river for swimming throughout the year.
Some say that the choice of designation for this spot would signal a vast transformation in the river’s water quality, from being declared biologically dead in the 1950s due to severe pollution.
However, the Guardian has warned the designation could prove difficult for Thames Water, which is attempting to drive through a water recycling scheme to draw off tens of millions of litres of water a day from the Thames near the proposed bathing water area and replace it with treated effluent from the large Mogden sewage works in west London to help tackle water shortages. The company first suggested the plan in 2019 and the Environment Agency rejected it due to the likely negative impact on the environment of releasing millions of litres of treated effluent into the river.
Where else has been nominated?
Emma Hardy, the water and flooding minister, said: “Rivers and beaches are at the heart of so many communities – where people come together, families make memories, and swimmers of all ages feel the benefits of being outdoors safely. Our plans to designate new bathing water sites show how we are backing local ambition and recognising the pride in places that matter most to people.”
The new designations would increase the number of designated bathing water areas to 464.
Local communities are being invited to have their say on proposals to designate 13 new bathing water sites, as part of a six-week public consultation. They include new rivers and coastal waters that are already popular with swimmers, reflecting growing public interest in outdoor swimming and connecting with local blue spaces.
Other waterway locations shortlisted to be designated as bathing water areas include a tidal inlet just off the River Yealm in the south Devon; part of the River Fowey in Lostwithiel, Cornwall; the River Dee at Sandy Lane, Chester; a sea swimming area at Little Shore, Amble, in Northumberland; Pangbourne Meadow in Berkshire, which inspired the novel The Wind in the Willows; and the River Swale in Richmond, Yorkshire.