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A section of the River Wharfe in Ilkely, Yorkshire, has become the first river bathing site in England after a surge of public support for the swimming spot.
Yorkshire Water has set out plans to reduce the reliance on storm overflows and cut discharges to the river by 20 per cent with the use of smart networks to predict and prevent pollution incidents.
The Environment Agency (EA) will monitor the river to assess water quality and ensure bacteria levels are at safe levels for bathing and to improve the Wharfe’s water.
Rebecca Pow, environment minister, said: “Unfortunately, we all know that water quality won’t change overnight. It will take time and we need farmers and businesses to commit to achieve the necessary improvements. I am pleased to see Yorkshire Water stepping forward with new proposals today to help move things in the right direction.”
Yorkshire Water entered a partnership with the EA, local council, the National Farmers Union, Yorkshire Wildlife Trust and upstream landowners to improve water quality in the Wharfe.
In September, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) revealed chemical pollution was widespread in England’s rivers with only 14 per cent of waterways achieving a “good” classification. During lockdown more people have embarked on wild swimming, leading to increased public outrage that waterways are not fit for bathing.
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