Wild swimmers, rejoice! From next month, you’ll be able to doggy-paddle to your heart’s content at four sites that have just received official bathing status from the UK government.
Plymouth’s Firestone Bay, a spot in the River Deben at Waldringfield in Suffolk and two sites at Rutland Water – Sykes Lane Bathing Beach and Whitwell Creek – have been given the stamp of approval, which means the waters are safe to take a dip in. It brings the total number of official bathing spots across England to 424.
But with all the controversy surrounding the government’s treatment of Britain’s waterways, you might assume the bar for ‘safe to swim in’ has sunk somewhat. In January, we reported on how dangerous levels of bacteria in our waters are leading to an increased risk of sickness in swimmers. Campaigners say that most of this pollution comes from water companies illegally spewing raw sewage off our coasts and into our waterways. Meanwhile, the British government is also under fire for its part in the dirty business of muddying our once-pleasant shores.
Following the backlash, the government published a new Plan for Water stating that water firms could face unlimited fines for dumping raw sewage in rivers. But opposition MPs argue that the measures will not stop sewage being dumped.
Rebecca Pow, the government’s water minister, said: ‘These popular swimming spots will now undergo regular monitoring, starting this May, so bathers have up-to-date information on the quality of the water. The regular monitoring also means that action can be taken if minimum standards aren’t being met.
‘We now have more bathing waters than ever, and we’ve worked hard in recent years to boost their status – with an incredible 93 percent now classed as good or excellent – and our new Plan for Water will help us go further and faster on our targets.’
Could the country be set to turn a corner when it comes to cleaning up our act? If so, it better happen fast, as bathing season officially starts on May 15 (running until September 30).
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