Salisbury’s Queen Elizabeth Gardens river fills with sewage just 13 days after being given bathing status
A picturesque river in the cathedral city has been given officially designated swimming status just 13 days after tests revealed it was contaminated with sewage.
The water at Queen Elizabeth Gardens in Salisbury, Wiltshire, has been declared unsafe for swimming less than two weeks after its new designation.
Families were immediately warned not to paddle in the area due to the alarmingly high level of bacteria in the water.
Subsequent testing at Queen Elizabeth Gardens confirmed that sewage pollution from upstream recycling works had made the area unsafe for public use.
The river was officially recognized as a bathing water area on 15 May, but a pollution alert was issued on 28 May after the Environment Agency (EA) detected very high levels of E.coli and intestinal enterococci, both key indicators of sewage pollution.
The recommendation against washing remained in effect until June 1, allowing time for any remaining effects to subside.
Volunteers had previously sampled the area once a week for nitrate, phosphate and ammonia, but not for E.coli.
Wessex Water said the pollution in Salisbury was due to blocked sewers rather than storm flooding, and noted its wider work to improve water quality in the area.
Concerns have been raised about bacteria damaging nearby protected chalk streams, one of the rarest ecosystems in the world.
Queen Elizabeth Gardens, Queen Elizabeth II. It was opened in the early 1960s to commemorate Elizabeth’s coronation.
Located just outside the city, the hotel is known for its views of the iconic 124 meter high cathedral.
An Environment Agency spokesman said: “We have advised against flushing in the River Avon at Queen Elizabeth Gardens in Salisbury due to pollution upstream.
“Our teams worked and took action quickly to stop the pollution, but as a precaution, the advice not to wash remained in place until Monday morning, June 1, to allow sufficient time for any remaining impacts to subside.”
Campaign group For the Love of Water (FLOW) supported the successful application for bathing water status.
Flow director Adam Ellis said: “We are proud of the community in Salisbury who have come together to ensure this popular river spot is designated as inland water.
“The first two samples taken on May 18 and 26 had very high levels of E.Coli and intestinal enterococci, both indicative of sewage contamination.
“We understand that the Environment Agency and Wessex Water investigated this immediately and identified a blocked sewer which was overloading the surface water drainage above the site.
“We have been informed that this has now been fixed. We would like to thank both organizations for their quick response.
“This incident shows the importance of identifying bathing water for popular river recreation areas; without the Environment Agency’s bathing water sampling, this contamination could have continued for months or even years.
“This could have endangered families enjoying the area downstream and impacted fish and other aquatic life in this protected chalk river.”
He reminded residents: “Be careful what you flush down the toilet; used cooking oil and wet wipes can cause blockages, leading to pollution incidents or sewage backing up on properties. Stick to the three Ps: Pee, Poo and Toilet Paper.”
A Wessex Water spokesman said the nearby Shrewton Water Recycling Centre, which serves part of the Avon catchment, was a “high groundwater” area where groundwater entering the sewer network could cause overflows to automatically operate to prevent flooding.
They said: “Groundwater reaching Shrewton passes through three stages, including constructed reed beds, before being released back into the environment.
“The discharged wastewater is actually cleaner than the standards set for fully treated sewage at this facility.”
They said they plan to install artificial intelligence monitors at Queen Elizabeth Gardens that will provide near real-time water quality information to people using the river.
The spokesman said: “As a newly designated bathing water there is currently very limited data available.”
Following successful bathing water applications at Fordingbridge and Queen Elizabeth Gardens, FLOW is supporting a community bid for a third designated site on the River Nadder at Lower Bemerton Recreation Area in Salisbury.
