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A stretch of river in Yorkshire will become the first in the UK to receive bathing water status, a huge success for activists trying to stop untreated sewage discharges into inland waters.
Part of the River Wharfe in Ilkley, which is a popular swimming and paddling spot, will be added to the bathing water list next year, after months of campaigning.
It is the first time in the UK that a river has been designated as bathing water and it means that it will be subjected to a much harsher testing regimen.
The designation means that starting in 2021, the Environment Agency will need to test the water regularly throughout the year to determine the level of fecal contamination at the site. The Bradford council will then be required to provide that information to the public.
So far, only UK coastal waters have received bathing water status, an EU directive introduced to safeguard public health and protect the aquatic environment from pollution. Bathing waters are classified annually as excellent, good, sufficient, or poor, based on an assessment of the level of bacteria in the water over the previous four years.
Becky Malby of the Ilkley Clean River campaign said: “We are delighted and excited about this decision. This is a significant environmental milestone as a step towards cleaning up the river to be fit for people and wildlife and we look forward to further designations on UK rivers. “
“We expect the designation to trigger a cleanup of the sewer system, including investment in sewer infrastructure.”
The designation comes after river users gathered evidence of how many people regularly used the river for swimming, rowing and other activities. The campaign produced figures from Yorkshire Water, showing that in 2019 Ilkley sewerage works discharged raw sewage into the river for 114 days.
The campaign submitted an application to the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which held a public consultation this fall.
The new status for the stretch of the pier between Ilkley Main Bridge and Beanlands Island in Ilkley comes amid heightened concern over the state of the rivers. Earlier this year, no English river passed pollution quality tests due to the scale of discharges of wastewater and agricultural and industrial chemicals entering the water system.
The Guardian revealed earlier this year that water companies dumped raw wastewater into England’s rivers more than 204,000 times in 2019.
Activists in Ilkley saw achieving bathing water status as a way to clean the river. They want the number of wastewater discharges to be reduced to no more than three times a year.
In an interview with The Guardian, Environment Agency President Emma Howard Boyd said the idea of rivers becoming bathing waters is a “game changer” that could generate more funds to clean up the Water.
Other activists are likely to follow in Ilkley’s footsteps. In Bath, Johnny Palmer is seeking bathing water status for Warleigh Weir, a popular swimming spot, and in London a London Waterkeeper campaign is trying to have sections of the Thames designated as bathing water and in Oxford, the city council recently supported a motion for an area of the Thames to receive status.
The Ilkley Clean River campaign has been in talks with Yorkshire Water, which on Tuesday said it supported the state of bathing water and was undertaking work to try to reduce wastewater discharges to the river by 20%.
Ben Roche, Yorkshire Water’s director of wastewater, said: “The health of our rivers is an issue that has really caught the public’s attention recently.
“Bathing water status puts the spotlight on the public health aspects of river quality, but we also need to look at the big picture to make sure the broader environmental health of the river is addressed. We hope that this association on the dock will play an important role in helping improve the health of the river for both people and wildlife. “
Britain stands out in Europe for the lack of inland waterways suitable for swimming. Until Ilkley’s decision, no UK river had been designated as bathing water. Germany has 38, Italy 73 and France 573.
Environment Minister Rebecca Pow said: “The residents of Ilkley and the surrounding area have shown great appreciation for the River Wharfe as an asset to enjoy and protect. I am delighted that this stretch of river is the first river to host a designated bathing water site.
“Unfortunately, we all know that the quality of the water will not change overnight. It will take time and we need farmers and businesses to commit to making the necessary improvements. I am pleased to see Yorkshire Water moving forward with new proposals today to help move things in the right direction. “
