27/11/2024
On November 26, 2024, DEFRA published the annual bathing water classifications for all 450 bathing water sites in England, including several new inland sites newly classified due to pressure from local communities. The River Avon running through Fordingbridge Recreation Ground, Hampshire, is one of the new bathing water sites, and the Environment Agency has been monitoring water quality throughout the bathing water season (mid-May to the end of Sept), the results of which can be viewed here https://environment.data.gov.uk/bwq/profiles/profile.html?site=ukj3308-19001 .
The River Avon is a globally significant Chalk River and has the highest level of protection afforded to any river in the UK (Site of Special Scientific Interest, Special Area of Conservation, Special Protection Area, RAMSAR) and is currently failing to meet ‘Favourable Condition’ or ‘Good Ecological Status’ under the Water Framework Directive.
The River Avon at Fordingbridge has been given a rating of ‘Poor bathing water quality’, the lowest rating, with advice against bathing. The mirrors results from our own sampling program delivered in partnership with Surfers Against Sewage in 2023. The annual classification works on a statistical analysis of all samples taken that year, and a small number of high samples can be enough to cause a ‘Poor’ classification, even if the majority of samples are good.
The River Avon at Fordingbridge is a popular spot for a wide range of water users, including children paddling, wild swimmers and anglers. Sampling indicates that during dry conditions, levels of harmful bacteria in the water are low, with levels increasing after rainfall events. Using this information, water users can still enjoy interacting with the river and be mindful of how conditions might affect water quality on the day. We will make a website live soon to signpost water users to all the information they need. In addition, Wessex Water is installing real-time water quality monitoring at the site, linked to an artificial intelligence that will provide real-time advice for water users. This is still within its ‘learning phase’, and we hope the system will be live and available in late 2025.
Classification in early 2024 has allowed the Environment Agency to request improvement measures from Wessex Water during their AMP8 (2025-2030) investment period. Plans are currently with the regulator OFWAT, with final determinations due at the end of 2024. Investment should include fast-tracking improvements to the Salisbury Street Combined Sewer Overflow, which enters the river upstream of the bathing water. Further investigative works and improvements to infrastructure upstream are also planned. We have also been carrying out our own E.Coli sampling across the catchment, looking at potential sources of faecal contamination during different weather conditions.
The government are currently consulting on potential changes to the Bathing Water Regulations. The consultation for this can be found here https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/reforms-to-the-bathing-water-regulations-2013
Some recommendations from Surfers Against Sewage are listed below:
- The importance of extending the bathing season as these classifications are based on just 20 weeks of sampling
- Removing auto-de-designation – 1 site at risk of de-designation this year but more locations could be at risk in future years if the government doesn’t remove automatic de-designation. We are in a position currently where the government washes their hands of popular sites because they are deemed too polluted to fix
- The need for multiple monitoring points – these classifications are based on just one location. Multiple sites will support finding the source of pollution more effectively and also provide water users with more data on their bathing site.
- Highlighting why taking into account the feasibility of improving a site's water quality before awarding it with designation is a poor idea. Many well-loved sites that may not reach ‘sufficient’ justify being monitored and the opportunity for the regulator and polluter to be held accountable if bathing water applicants are proving that these locations are being used by large numbers of water users. We can’t be in a position where locations are deemed too polluted and too expensive to fix.
- Continue to call for Recreational Waters and highlight that the current bathing waters were awarded with only bathers in mind and not other waters users, so as paddlers, canoeists and anglers.
We would welcome as many people as possible to respond to the consultation.
Please follow FLOW CIC for updates on the water testing program.
