River Thames spot among 13 sites shortlisted for swimming status | Rivers

The first designated bathing water area on the River Thames in London has been proposed as one of 13 new bathing areas being monitored across the country.

The River Thames at Ham, south-west London, has been shortlisted as a new river bathing water after campaigners gathered evidence showing thousands of people use the river for swimming throughout the year.

Marlene Lawrence, founder of Teddington Bluetits, which has more than 2,000 members, launched the bathing water practice with her colleagues. “It would be great for this river and the many people who enjoy it,” he said. “We want bathing water status to be the driver of keeping the River Thames clean and it will be great to have this part of the river designated.”

The appointment could prove difficult for Thames Water, which is trying to implement a water recycling scheme to withdraw tens of millions of liters of water a day from the River Thames near the proposed bathing water site and replace it with treated wastewater from the large Mogden sewage works in West London to help tackle water shortages.

The company first proposed the scheme in 2019 and the Environment Agency rejected it due to the expected negative impact on the environment from releasing millions of liters of treated wastewater into the river.

Other waterway locations shortlisted for designation as bathing water areas include a tidal inlet just off the River Yealm in south Devon; Part of the River Fowey at Lostwithiel, Cornwall; River Dee at Sandy Lane, Chester; a sea swimming area at Amble, Little Shore in Northumberland; Pangbourne Meadow in Berkshire, which inspired the novel The Wind in the Willows; and the River Swale in Richmond, Yorkshire.

Campaigners began fighting for bathing water status for rivers under the EU-derived bathing water directive six years ago. Rivers suffer from a toxic mix of wastewater from water companies, persistent chemicals, and road and agricultural waste.

The condition of bathing water requires more stringent testing by the regulatory Environment Agency, which is responsible for monitoring water for faecal indicator organisms. Water companies are under pressure to reduce sewage pollution in areas designated as bathing water areas.

At Ilkley in West Yorkshire, where the Wharfe became the first river to be granted bathing water status, Yorkshire Water is carrying out more than £85 million of infrastructure improvements to improve water quality.

Save our SwaleThe local campaign group, which appealed for the River Swale in Yorkshire, said bathers had used the river at Richmond Falls for decades but it had been polluted by numerous water company sewage leaks that overflowed during the storm.

Deborah Meara, chief executive of Save Our Swale, said: “It has taken a lot of hard work from our team of volunteers to get this far and we are grateful for all the hours we have spent, often in pouring rain, collecting samples at our testing sites up and down the Swale.

“If SOS finally achieves designated bathing water status this will be a significant benefit to the community as this area is used by hundreds of people during the summer months and they deserve to bathe in the local river without the risk of raw sewage pollution.”

Local communities are being invited to have their say on proposals for 13 sites in a six-week public consultation.

Water and Flooding Minister Emma Hardy said: “Rivers and beaches are at the heart of many communities, where people come together, families make memories and swimmers of all ages feel the benefits of being safely outdoors. Our plans to designate new bathing water areas show how we support local passion and recognize pride in the places that matter most to people.”

The number of bathing water areas determined with the new definitions will increase to 464.

River Action campaign chair Amy Fairman said: “We welcome efforts to classify more of the UK’s waterways as bathing areas, as this means they will be monitored seasonally for pollution.”

But he said water quality was rated as poor in all but two of England’s 14 land-based designated swimming areas. “This is a national disgrace, especially considering France has over 1,200 inland water sites, most rated as excellent.

“Until water companies are restructured to put people, nature and society before profit, agricultural pollution is properly tackled and the chemical cocktail choking our waterways is stopped, our rivers will remain among the most polluted in Europe.”

The sites within the scope of the consultation are:

• Little Shore, Amble, Northumberland

• Newton and Noss Creeks, Devon

• Canvey Island Coast, Essex

• Sandgate Granville Parade Beach, Kent

• Queen Elizabeth Gardens, Salisbury, Wiltshire

• East Beach at West Bay, Bridport, Dorset

• Pangbourne Meadow, Berkshire

• The River Fowey in Lostwithiel, Cornwall

• The River Swale in Richmond, Yorkshire

• Hawk Meadow, Bungay, Suffolk

• River Thames at Ham and Kingston, Greater London

• New Brighton Beach (east), Merseyside

• The River Dee at Sandy Lane, Chester, Cheshire