UK’s second river bathing site designated in Oxford

A stretch of the River Thames at Port Meadow in Oxford has become the UK’s second designated river bathing site.

The classification means Thames Water, landowners and the local council will be required to improve water quality to bring it up to the safe swimming standard within the next five years.

The water will be regularly tested for harmful bacteria during the summer bathing season and signs will be displayed at the site.

The application to become a designated bathing site was submitted by the Oxford Rivers Project – a partnership including The Rivers Trust, Thames 21 group, Oxford City Council and Thames Water – which also carried out a water quality study.

Michelle Walker, technical director at The Rivers Trust, said: “We are absolutely delighted that England has a long overdue second river bathing site. Swimming is a wonderful way to connect with the environment and actually makes people more likely to take action to preserve nature, so this is a real positive for people and wildlife.”

Claire Robertson, Oxford Rivers Project officer at Thames21, said: “I’m overjoyed this designation is going ahead. This stretch of river is a regularly used and treasured place for hundreds of people – families, swimmers, kayakers, rowers, anglers, birdwatchers – and a home for many other creatures, and this is the very least it deserves.

“I’m looking forward to working locally with Thames Water and other partners to ensure the water quality improves, and nationally to help other groups protect their local rivers.”

The UK’s first, and until now only, designated inland bathing site is a section of river in Ilkley, West Yorkshire, which was granted the status in 2020, stimulating £13 million of investment from Yorkshire Water to bring the water up to the required standard.

Following an inquiry by the Environmental Audit Committee into river water quality, the group recommended each water company should designate “at least one widely used stretch of river for bathing” by 2025.

Sarah Bentley, Thames Water chief executive said: “I’m thrilled that designated bathing water status has been granted to the Wolvercote Mill Stream in our region, the second time this has ever happened for a UK river. With this new elevated status, we’ll continue to work with Oxford City Council and our partners to monitor water quality in the Thames.”

She continued: “Taking action to improve the health of rivers is a key focus for us. We have committed to reducing the annual duration of sewage discharges into rivers by 50% across the Thames Valley by 2030 and have planned substantial investment in our local sewer network to reduce spills, including a major expansion at Witney sewage treatment works in Oxfordshire.”

Following a successful trial in the Oxford area, the company will be able to issue live alerts from the 468 permitted combined sewer overflows in its region, within an hour of discharges starting and stopping, by the end of this year.

Bentley said: “We’re clear it’s completely unacceptable for any untreated sewage to enter rivers, whether it’s permitted or not. Stopping discharges altogether will take time and sustained investment, however each step we take on this journey is a move in the right direction.”

Beaches with bathing water status have benefitted from investment and focus to improve water quality, which campaigners hope will also happen to river sites that become designated.

Mish Tullar, head of corporate strategy at Oxford City Council, said: “Being given bathing status will ensure the provision of information that will enable swimmers to make informed choices about whether or not to swim. It also sets a timeframe and a clear standard to meet, which we’ll be working with Thames Water and other partners to achieve.”

Severn Trent has committed to creating two new river swimming sites as part of its green recovery investment programme.