River Swale awarded bathing water status
Celebration time for the dogged campaigners at Save Our Swale!
It’s official! The Department of Environment and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has tonight announced that part of the River Swale in Richmond, North Yorkshire is one of 13 sites to be awarded the sought-after Designated Bathing Water Status.
Regular readers here at The Northern Eco have been following the moves towards this achievement for more than two years now and campaigners at Save Our Swale (SOS) say they are delighted at the news.
Receiving the designation doesn’t necessarily mean the water is safe to swim or paddle but it does mean that the Environment Agency (EA) now has to regularly test the river water quality for bacteria between May 15 and September 30.
An SOS spokeswoman said tonight: “Obviously, we’re very pleased and now the EA get to do their job and monitor water quality from the Fosse car park to 5 km upstream and they have to let the public know how the water quality is rated.”
SOS took the action amid concerns about pollution in the River Swale and discharges from Yorkshire Water’s Richmond Sewage Treatment Works.
The site will now be given a classification of ‘excellent’, ‘good’, ‘sufficient’, or ‘poor’, and North Yorkshire Council will have to display this information to allow the public to make an informed decision about using the river.
If the water quality was classified as poor or sufficient, officials would have to investigate pollution sources and take steps to improve the water quality.
Announcing the 13 new sites, which in our region also includes Little Shore, Amble in Northumberland, the Water Minister Emma Hardy said:
“The introduction of these new bathing sites means better monitoring of our waterways, a boost for local tourism, and greater confidence for local swimmers.
“Following years of indifference towards bathing waters, this government has expanded the number of sites as part of our overhaul of the water sector.
“We’re committed to generational reform of our water industry and won’t stop until the job is done.”
All well and good but that’s not the end of the campaign for SOS, said its spokeswoman who is urging people to sign this petition and get a debate in parliament:
“SOS isn’t giving up on getting the river downstream of the Fosse cleaned up, especially at the Sewage Treatment Works. Our rivers won’t be healthy until we get rid of the privatised model of ownership!”
Alan Lovell, Chair of the Environment Agency, said: the growing number of designations across the country reflects the importance communities place in their local environment and water quality.
“If you’re planning on going open water swimming this summer, I’d advise everyone to get informed - checking water quality and conditions before you go.
“Across the bathing water season, Environment Agency teams will be out conducting over 7000 tests across over 460 locations. Through strong regulation and the right data, we will continue to drive improvements to bathing water quality, working closely with local partners to direct investment and target action in the right places.”
The full list of confirmed sites include:
Little Shore, Amble, Northumberland, a crescent of sand between the River Coquet and the North Sea, popular with locals
Newton and Noss Creeks, Devon, a narrow tidal inlet just off the River Yealm in the South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
Canvey Island Foreshore, Essex, a unique family favourite sandy beach.
Sandgate Granville Parade Beach, Kent, shingle beach enjoyed by swimmers, and kayakers.
Queen Elizabeth Gardens Salisbury, Wiltshire, one of Salisbury’s most cherished parks opened in the early 1960s to commemorate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II
East Beach at West Bay, Bridport, Dorset, filming location for the iconic ITV drama Broadchurch.
Pangbourne Meadow, Berkshire, a meadow and river in the area that inspired The Wind in the Willows
River Fowey in Lostwithiel, Cornwall, a scenic tidal river, flowing through the heart of the town
River Swale in Richmond, Yorkshire, with dramatic waterfalls over limestone steps
Falcon Meadow, Bungay, Suffolk, a riverside community space on the River Waveney
River Thames at Ham and Kingston, Greater London, London’s first river bathing site on the Thames
New Brighton Beach (East), Merseyside, a sandy seaside resort at the mouth of the Mersey Estuary
River Dee at Sandy Lane, Chester, Cheshire, a popular spot for families and water sports