Thames at Ham Proposed as London's First Designated River Bathing Site
The River Thames at Ham in southwest London has been proposed as one of thirteen new monitored swimming areas across England, potentially becoming the first designated bathing water site on London's iconic river. This development follows extensive campaigning by local groups who have demonstrated that thousands of people regularly swim in this section of the Thames throughout the year.
Campaigners Push for Cleaner River Access
Marlene Lawrence, founder of the Teddington Bluetits swimming group with over 2,000 members, submitted the bathing water application alongside colleagues. "This would be amazing for the river and for the many people who enjoy it," Lawrence stated. "We want bathing water status to be a driver of keeping the River Thames clean and it will be fantastic to have this part of the river designated."
The designation process began six years ago under the EU-derived bathing water directive, with campaigners fighting for better protection of rivers suffering from sewage discharge, forever chemicals, and agricultural runoff.
Potential Conflict with Water Company Plans
The proposed designation could create complications for Thames Water, which is attempting to implement a water recycling scheme near the proposed bathing area. The company's plan involves drawing tens of millions of litres of water daily from the Thames and replacing it with treated effluent from the Mogden sewage works in west London to address water shortages.
The Environment Agency previously rejected this plan in 2019 due to anticipated negative environmental impacts from releasing millions of litres of treated effluent into the river. Bathing water status requires more rigorous testing by the regulator, including monitoring for faecal indicator organisms, putting additional pressure on water companies to reduce sewage pollution in designated areas.
National Context and Other Proposed Sites
Across England, twelve other locations have been shortlisted for bathing water designation, including:
- A tidal inlet off the River Yealm in south Devon
- The River Fowey in Lostwithiel, Cornwall
- The River Dee at Sandy Lane, Chester
- Little Shore, Amble in Northumberland
- Pangbourne Meadow in Berkshire, which inspired The Wind in the Willows
- The River Swale in Richmond, Yorkshire
Deborah Meara, chair of Save our Swale campaign group, emphasized the importance of designation for their Yorkshire river: "If SOS does finally achieve designated bathing water status, it will be an important benefit to the community, as the location is used by hundreds of people in the summer months and they deserve to bathe in their local river without risk from raw sewage pollution."
Current State of England's Bathing Waters
Amy Fairman, head of campaigns at River Action, welcomed efforts to classify more waterways as bathing sites but noted concerning statistics: "Water quality in all but two of England's 14 designated inland bathing sites were rated poor. This is a national embarrassment, especially when France has over 1,200 inland bathing sites with most rated excellent."
Fairman emphasized that until water companies are restructured to prioritize people and nature over profit, agricultural pollution is properly addressed, and chemical contamination is curbed, "our rivers will remain among the dirtiest in Europe."
Consultation Process and Government Support
Local communities are now invited to participate in a six-week public consultation on the thirteen proposed sites. Water and flooding minister Emma Hardy stated: "Rivers and beaches are at the heart of so many communities – where people come together, families make memories, and swimmers of all ages feel the benefits of being outdoors safely. Our plans to designate new bathing water sites show how we are backing local ambition and recognising the pride in places that matter most to people."
If approved, the new designations would increase England's total number of designated bathing water areas to 464. The success of similar designations elsewhere, such as at Ilkley in West Yorkshire where Yorkshire Water is implementing over £85 million in infrastructure improvements following the Wharfe River's designation, demonstrates the potential positive impact of such status.
